Garden State Times

The Senate Budget Committee has given its approval to a legislative proposal introduced by Senator Parker Space, aimed at improving communication between law enforcement officers and individuals with hearing impairments during traffic stops.

"It is absolutely essential that law enforcement can effectively communicate with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing," stated Senator Space. "This designation would remove concern from the equation by ensuring police officers are aware that the person they’re interacting with at a traffic stop is deaf and can respond accordingly."

The proposed bill, known as S-1000, mandates the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to include a special designation on an applicant's motor vehicle registration. This designation would indicate that the registrant is deaf, but it would only be visible when law enforcement accesses the vehicle's license plate information.

To qualify for this designation, applicants must have a verified hearing loss of 41 decibels or greater. Verification must come from an otorhinolaryngologist (ENT) or an audiologist who is either certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or licensed by the State of New Jersey.

The full text of the bill is available online for public viewing.