MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Judiciary A By: Representative Zuber House Bill 257 AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF A CERTIFICATE OF TITLE FOR A VEHICLE TO PROVIDE A SPACE FOR THE APPLICANT TO VOLUNTARILY INDICATE THE EXISTENCE OF A CONDITION THAT IMPEDES HIS OR HER ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER; TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO REQUEST VERIFICATION OF THE CONDITION THAT CREATES THE IMPEDIMENT IF SUCH IS INDICATED ON THE APPLICATION; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO PROVIDE THE VEHICLE REGISTRATION OF SUCH INDIVIDUALS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ESTABLISH A SYSTEM TO INCLUDE THE REGISTRATION INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE IN THE MISSISSIPPI CRIMINAL INFORMATION CENTER; TO PROHIBIT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY FROM MAKING SUCH INFORMATION ABOUT APPLICANTS WITH COMMUNICATION IMPEDIMENTS ACCESSIBLE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ACCESSED THE MISSISSIPPI CRIMINAL INFORMATION CENTER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. (1) The application for registration of a certificate of title for a vehicle shall provide space for the applicant to voluntarily indicate that the applicant has a health condition or disability that may impede effective communication with a law enforcement officer. The Department of Revenue may request verification of the condition that impedes effective communication from any person who makes an indication of such impediment under this subsection, in the form of a written statement from, as appropriate for the person's condition or disability, a: (a) Licensed physician; or (b) Licensed psychologist, nonphysician mental health professional, speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, audiologist, school psychologist or other health care provider. For purposes of this paragraph (b), "nonphysician mental health professional" means: (i) A psychologist licensed to practice in this state and designated as a health-service provider; (ii) A registered nurse with a master's or doctoral degree in psychiatric nursing; (iii) A licensed clinical social worker; (iv) A licensed professional counselor licensed to practice in this state; (v) A licensed marriage and family therapist licensed to practice in this state; or (vi) A physician assistant licensed to practice in this state who has expertise in psychiatry or is currently working in a mental health facility. (2) (a) For each person who voluntarily indicated on an application under subsection (1) that the person has a health condition or disability that may impede effective communication, the Department of Revenue shall: (i) Provide to the Department of Public Safety, the vehicle registration information of the person; (ii) Inform the Department of Public Safety whether the person's health condition or disability is categorized as: 1. A speech or language impairment; 2. A hearing impairment; or 3. Autism spectrum disorder. (b) Except as provided by paragraph (a) of this subsection (2), the department may not provide to the Department of Public Safety information that shows the type of health condition or disability a person has. (3) The Department of Public Safety shall establish a system to include information received under subsection (2) in the Mississippi Criminal Information Center for the purpose of alerting a law enforcement officer who makes a traffic stop that the operator of the stopped vehicle may have a health condition or disability that may impede effective communication. (4) The Department of Public Safety may not make information received under subsection (2) available in the Mississippi Criminal Information Center to a person who has access to the system under a contract unless the contract prohibits the person from disclosing that information to a person who is not subject to the contract. (5) The department may not issue to a person without the person's consent a license plate with a visible marking that indicates to the general public that the person voluntarily indicated on an application under subsection (1) that the person has a health condition or disability that may impede effective communication. (6) Except as provided by subsection (4), information supplied to the department relating to an applicant's health condition or disability is for the confidential use of the department and the Department of Public Safety and may not be disclosed to any person. SECTION 2. A Department of Public Safety contract that allows a person to access the Mississippi Criminal Information Center and that is in effect before the effective date of this act is governed by the law in effect on the date on which the contract was entered into, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose, except that the contract: (a) Continues only for the term of the contract; and (b) May not be renewed unless the renewed contract includes the prohibition required under paragraph (d) of Section 1 of this act. SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2025 Regular Session
To: Judiciary A
By: Representative Zuber
# House Bill 257
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF A CERTIFICATE OF TITLE FOR A VEHICLE TO PROVIDE A SPACE FOR THE APPLICANT TO VOLUNTARILY INDICATE THE EXISTENCE OF A CONDITION THAT IMPEDES HIS OR HER ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER; TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO REQUEST VERIFICATION OF THE CONDITION THAT CREATES THE IMPEDIMENT IF SUCH IS INDICATED ON THE APPLICATION; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO PROVIDE THE VEHICLE REGISTRATION OF SUCH INDIVIDUALS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ESTABLISH A SYSTEM TO INCLUDE THE REGISTRATION INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE IN THE MISSISSIPPI CRIMINAL INFORMATION CENTER; TO PROHIBIT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY FROM MAKING SUCH INFORMATION ABOUT APPLICANTS WITH COMMUNICATION IMPEDIMENTS ACCESSIBLE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ACCESSED THE MISSISSIPPI CRIMINAL INFORMATION CENTER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) The application for registration of a certificate of title for a vehicle shall provide space for the applicant to voluntarily indicate that the applicant has a health condition or disability that may impede effective communication with a law enforcement officer. The Department of Revenue may request verification of the condition that impedes effective communication from any person who makes an indication of such impediment under this subsection, in the form of a written statement from, as appropriate for the person's condition or disability, a:
(a) Licensed physician; or
(b) Licensed psychologist, nonphysician mental health professional, speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, audiologist, school psychologist or other health care provider. For purposes of this paragraph (b), "nonphysician mental health professional" means:
(i) A psychologist licensed to practice in this state and designated as a health-service provider;
(ii) A registered nurse with a master's or doctoral degree in psychiatric nursing;
(iii) A licensed clinical social worker;
(iv) A licensed professional counselor licensed to practice in this state;
(v) A licensed marriage and family therapist licensed to practice in this state; or
(vi) A physician assistant licensed to practice in this state who has expertise in psychiatry or is currently working in a mental health facility.
(2) (a) For each person who voluntarily indicated on an application under subsection (1) that the person has a health condition or disability that may impede effective communication, the Department of Revenue shall:
(i) Provide to the Department of Public Safety, the vehicle registration information of the person;
(ii) Inform the Department of Public Safety whether the person's health condition or disability is categorized as:
1. A speech or language impairment;
2. A hearing impairment; or
3. Autism spectrum disorder.
(b) Except as provided by paragraph (a) of this subsection (2), the department may not provide to the Department of Public Safety information that shows the type of health condition or disability a person has.
(3) The Department of Public Safety shall establish a system to include information received under subsection (2) in the Mississippi Criminal Information Center for the purpose of alerting a law enforcement officer who makes a traffic stop that the operator of the stopped vehicle may have a health condition or disability that may impede effective communication.
(4) The Department of Public Safety may not make information received under subsection (2) available in the Mississippi Criminal Information Center to a person who has access to the system under a contract unless the contract prohibits the person from disclosing that information to a person who is not subject to the contract.
(5) The department may not issue to a person without the person's consent a license plate with a visible marking that indicates to the general public that the person voluntarily indicated on an application under subsection (1) that the person has a health condition or disability that may impede effective communication.
(6) Except as provided by subsection (4), information supplied to the department relating to an applicant's health condition or disability is for the confidential use of the department and the Department of Public Safety and may not be disclosed to any person.
SECTION 2. A Department of Public Safety contract that allows a person to access the Mississippi Criminal Information Center and that is in effect before the effective date of this act is governed by the law in effect on the date on which the contract was entered into, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose, except that the contract:
(a) Continues only for the term of the contract; and
(b) May not be renewed unless the renewed contract includes the prohibition required under paragraph (d) of Section 1 of this act.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.