Maryland Residents Given Butterfly Icon To Alert First Responders To Invisible Disabilities

Maryland residents who live with non-apparent disabilities scan request a small butterfly icon on their state driver’s licenses or ID cards.

Maryland residents who live with non-apparent disabilities such as autism or intellectual disorders can now request a small butterfly icon on their state driver’s licenses or ID cards.

The change comes after the implementation of “Eric’s ID law,” which took effect on October 1. Eric’s ID Law is named after advocate Eric Carpenter-Grantham, a high-functioning autistic individual. The legislation requires the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) to offer a butterfly marker, according to a press release from the MVA. The marker signals to law enforcement or first responders that the person they are interacting with has an invisible disability. The marker can be received upon request without requiring medical paperwork. The symbol appears above the words “hidden disability” on qualifying cards.

The concept grew from personal experience. Eric and his mother, Linda Carpenter-Grantham, advocated for a designation they hoped would prevent misunderstandings during police interactions or other high-stress encounters. Both mother and son were concerned as conversations about police escalation and disability have become national topics.

“It will be a helpful tool for many loved ones who have a person in their family with a disability,” Eric said in Eric’s ID Law Explained on YouTube.

In the video, Eric discussed the pushback he and Linda received at the outset of the endeavor. Although policymakers had told them that law enforcement would not be receptive, the duo found that this was not the case.

“And the weirdest thing that we heard from many of the lawmakers in the state of Maryland was that law enforcement has never supported a bill like this before. Every law enforcement official we have talked to said, ‘This is a no-brainer. This will help us and the first responders.'”

Some lawmakers and disability rights advocates initially raised concerns around privacy, stigma, or potential insurance misuse, according to Linda. But the final law includes a prohibition against insurers using the market to adjust rates. The change is entirely voluntary and can be added or removed at no additional cost aside from other standard MVA fees.

In its first hours, dozens of Marylanders visited MVA offices to request the new butterfly-marked ID cards. Among them was Montgomery County 13-year-old Addison Jawando, who has an invisible disability, autism.

“It’s an exciting day. It’s been an honor to have a personal connection with my own daughter, who’s on the spectrum, and to be able to share this with her friends. It’s kind of a form of advocacy for her, too,” Jawando told Maryland Matters.

While Eric’s ID Law won’t guarantee de-escalation, officials say it provides an additional “information data point.” This data point will hopefully guide safer interactions.