Xavier Aguilar 
BROWNSVILLE – An organization in Brownsville helped introduce Senate Bill 661 and House Bill 2283 to the Texas Legislature.
To help police officers identify and accommodate passengers with disabilities during a traffic stop.
This bill gives parents the option to notify peace officers that they are traveling with a “person with a disability” through vehicle registration.
The bill began with the help of an organization, “Down by the Border,” where they are working to push legislation that will help police officers identify vehicles carrying passengers with disabilities.
According to the bills, a “person with a disability” means a person with, a physical, intellectual, behavioral, or cognitive impairment; autism, or a health condition or disability that may impede effective communication with a peace officer.
Co-Founder and Vice-President of Down by the Border Sergio Zarate, recalls an incident that happened to a mother and daughter when officers stopped them.
“I don’t think he really understood what was going on and asked her certain questions almost inferring like, what did you do to this child? And when the parents said she has autism there was a look, a glazed look on this officer’s” face and she realized, you know, I don’t think police officers or law enforcement, or first responders sometimes understand what autism is,” recalls Zarate.
After this incident, Down by the Border first created a decal sticker to help officers identify passengers with disabilities. Five years later, with help from Senator Morgan LaMantilla, Representatives Armando Martinez, and Aaron Gomez, Senate Bill 661 and House Bill 2283 were written and filed.
Public Information Officer for the Brownsville Police Department, Martin Sandoval explains the procedures that an officer has to follow after this bill is passed.
“They can even further explain what their sensitivities are so that we officers are aware,” says Sandoval, “So once we run the license plates, it’s going to tell us that that is one of the triggers. So that way we can turn off our lights and approach it with caution.”
If the bill passes, caretakers can take the diagnosis document of their loved ones with disabilities to a local D.P.S. Office. Once verified, caretakers can choose what information officers can see when the vehicle registration is run and processed by officers.
The bill is currently waiting for a committee meeting.
Zarate adds that even if the bill does not pass this time, they will still continue to fight for it.
