A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO allow disability designations on drivers licenses, identification cards, and vehicle registrations, to study the involuntary commitment proceedings, TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP A PILOT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION ABOUT STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AND OTHER DISABILITIES BETWEEN PUBLIC SCHOOL PERSONNEL AND SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, and to make an appropriation as recommended by the joint study committee on autism spectrum disorder, law enforcement, public safety, and first responders.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles, shall study a method to implement a voluntary disability designation on drivers licenses, State-issued identification cards, and vehicle registration. The method should allow persons with developmental disabilities or their families, or both, to request the placement of a designation indicating the disability or the possible presence in their vehicle of a person with a disability.  
The Division shall report to the General Assembly, no later than June 1, 2007, on the method developed and the schedule for implementation of the designation.
SECTION 2.  The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services shall study the involuntary commitment statutes of Chapter 122C of the General Statutes, including the procedures for transportation of respondents. Specifically, the Committee shall consider whether the provisions of G.S. 122C‑251 should be amended to allow medical or emergency services personnel to transport respondents, rather than requiring transportation to be conducted by law enforcement personnel.
The Committee shall report to the 2007 General Assembly on the Committee's findings and recommendations.
SECTION 3.  The State Board of Education, in cooperation with Division TEACCH and the North Carolina Justice Academy, shall develop training for public school personnel designed to facilitate, when needed, effective communication and transfer of information about students with autism and other disabilities between school personnel and school resource officers. The State Board of Education shall implement the training by establishing pilot programs in at least four local school administrative units by January 15, 2007.
SECTION 4.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the State Board of Education the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 2006‑2007 fiscal year to implement Section 3 of this act.
SECTION 5.  Section 4 of this act becomes effective July 1, 2006. The remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law.