At the beginning of October, Maryland’s newest law pertaining to personal identification went into effect. This law, known as Eric’s ID Law, allows for Marylanders with hidden disabilities to have them indicated on their driver’s license, ID card, or moped operator’s permit using a butterfly symbol.
A press release provided by the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) explained this optional symbol.
“The optional designation is free and aims to help first responders and others recognize individuals who may have communication challenges or need accommodations that are not immediately visible,” the Office of Media Relations for Motor Vehicle Administration said.
Maryland Transportation Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle further explained the idea behind the new law in the MVA’s press release.
“Providing this hidden disability designation is an important step toward making Maryland roads and communities safer and more accessible for everyone. Not every disability is visible, and this is an easy, free way to communicate with residents and first responders. We are proud of the MVA for leading this effort and for its strong commitment to improving services for all Marylanders,” Biddle said.
This law was inspired by Eric Carpenter-Grantham, a Marylander living with high-functioning autism. His mother, Linda Carpenter-Grantham, has been tirelessly advocating for change after seeing how a lack of awareness of Eric’s disability in the community created unnecessary stress and misunderstanding when Eric interacted with others.
Dr. Janet Preis, chair of Loyola’s Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences Department, shared that some of the most stressful interactions for those with hidden disabilities often happen with law enforcement officers who are unaware of said disability.
“There is this assumption that we know how to engage with different people in different circumstances all the time. Most of us know automatically that when a police officer tells us to do something we need to do it right away. This is something that can be quite difficult for someone who has trouble processing these types of situations. However, because so many people do it automatically, it’s assumed that when someone doesn’t do something that they are doing it on purpose,” Preis said.
Another part of Eric’s ID Law is that all law enforcement officers must receive mandatory training on interacting with individuals who have hidden disabilities. This training will include identifying indicators of developmental and intellectual disabilities, how to deescalate and resolve situations with these individuals, and how to exercise ethical leadership practices during these interactions.
Associate Director of Loyola’s Disability and Accessibility Services Abigail Hurson shared that she is optimistic about this new training requirement.
“I do think that if that training is implemented well, it might give officers some guidance on how handle interactions with people who have certain types of hidden disabilities. There are a wide range of hidden disabilities so I don’t think a training would help them to know how to handle every single situation, but I do think it could provide some guidance to help facilitate communication in some situations,” Hurson said.
In the MVA press release, Montgomery Council Vice President Will Jawando shared what kind of impact this law will have.
“This symbol isn’t just ink on a card, it’s a promise that in a moment of crisis, a first responder will see not just a person, but a person’s story. It’s a promise that in Maryland, we will always choose understanding over ignorance. I’m so thankful for this law to be implemented today,” Jawando said.
Marylanders who want to add the butterfly symbol to their ID can do so for free and are not required to provide any proof of their hidden disability. This process can be completed online through my MVA or in-person at any MVA location.