UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS BR 493
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AN ACT relating to motor vehicles. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
ď˘Section 1. KRS 186.032 (Effective January 1, 2024) is amended to read as 3
follows: 4
(1) As used in this section, "communication disorder" means a health condition or 5
disability that may impede effective communication with a peace officer, 6
including: 7
(a) A communication impediment; 8
(b) Blindness or a visual impairment; 9
(c) Autism spectrum disorder; 10
(d) A drug allergy; 11
(e) Alzheimer's disease or dementia; 12
(f) Post-traumatic stress disorder; 13
(g) Traumatic brain injury; 14
(h) Schizophrenia; 15
(i) Epilepsy; 16
(j) A developmental disability; 17
(k) Down syndrome; 18
(l) Diabetes; or 19
(m) A heart condition. 20
The Transportation Cabinet may identify other communication disorders through 21
administrative regulations promulgated in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A. 22
(2) The owner or lessee of a motor vehicle may inform the county clerk that he or she, 23
[or] someone who may be operating the vehicle, or someone who is a regular 24
passenger in the vehicle, is deaf or hard of hearing and request that information be 25
included in the Kentucky vehicle registration system database to assist law 26
enforcement in identifying the operator or a regular passenger of the vehicle as 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS BR 493
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possibly being deaf or hard of hearing. 1
(3) The owner or lessee of a motor vehicle may inform the county clerk that he or she, 2
[or] someone who may be operating the vehicle, or someone who is a regular 3
passenger in the vehicle, has a communication disorder and request that 4
information be included in the Kentucky vehicle registration system database to 5
assist law enforcement in identifying the operator or a regular passenger of the 6
vehicle as possibly having a communication disorder. 7
(4) (a) The deaf or hard of hearing protection trust fund is created as a separate trust 8
fund in the State Treasury. The trust fund shall consist of any proceeds from 9
gifts, grants, contributions, appropriations, or other moneys made available 10
for the purposes of the trust fund. 11
(b) The fund shall be administered by the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf or 12
Hard of Hearing. 13
(c) Notwithstanding KRS 45.229, trust fund amounts not expended at the close of 14
a fiscal year shall not lapse but shall be carried forward to the next fiscal year. 15
(d) Any interest earnings of the trust fund shall become part of the trust fund and 16
shall not lapse. 17
(e) Trust fund moneys deposited in this fund shall only be used to: 18
1. Reimburse the Transportation Cabinet for the cost of including 19
information that someone is deaf or hard of hearing or has a 20
communication disorder in the Kentucky vehicle registration system 21
database; 22
2. Support other actions to protect the safety and welfare of persons who 23
are deaf or hard of hearing or have a communication disorder; and 24
3. Educate the public, the deaf and hard of hearing community, and the 25
communication disorder community on issues confronting the deaf and 26
hard of hearing and those with communication disorders. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS BR 493
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(5) (a) Every county clerk shall post a permanent notice containing information about 1
the availability of a deaf or hard of hearing or a communication disorder 2
designation in the Kentucky vehicle registration database. The notice shall be 3
printed in bold face type of sufficient point size to be read from a distance of 4
at least three (3) feet. The notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place to 5
ensure that every person who enters the county clerk's office will readily see 6
the notice. 7
(b) The Transportation Cabinet shall put information on its website[Web site] 8
about the availability of a deaf or hard of hearing or a communication disorder 9
designation in the Kentucky vehicle registration database. 10