Pennsylvania Act 1970-254 — AUTHORIZING THE USE OF IDENTIFICATION DEVICES BY PERSONS WITH CERTAIN DISEASES

Act text

AUTHORIZING THE USE OF IDENTIFICATION DEVICES BY PERSONS WITH CERTAIN
                                 DISEASES
                 Act of Nov. 25, 1970, P.L. 769, No. 254              Cl. 35
                                  AN ACT

     Authorizing the use of identification devices by persons with
        certain afflictions or conditions; imposing duties on law
        enforcement officers and prescribing penalties.

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

        Section 1.  Any person who suffers from epilepsy, diabetes, a
     cardiac condition, or any other type of illness which causes
     temporary blackouts, semi-conscious periods, or complete
     unconsciousness, is hereby authorized to wear an identification
     bracelet or metal tag or carry an identification card with the
     person's name, type of illness, physician's name and medication
     required, engraved, stamped, or imprinted thereon.
        Section 2.  It shall be the duty of all law enforcement
     officers in this State to make a diligent effort to determine if
     any person they may find in a semi-conscious or unconscious
     condition is an epileptic or diabetic or a person who is
     suffering from any other type of illness which would cause semi-
     consciousness or unconsciousness, before such person may be
     charged with a crime. If any law enforcement officer shall
     determine that such a person is actually suffering from an
     affliction which would cause semi-consciousness or
     unconsciousness, it shall be his duty to notify such person's
     physician immediately or to have such person immediately
     transported to a physician or to some facility where the
     services of a physician are available.
        Section 3.  Any person who wilfully and knowingly falsifies
     such identification or deliberately misrepresents such an
     illness as causes blackouts, unconsciousness, or semi-conscious
     periods as described in section 1, shall be guilty of a
     misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be sentenced to
     pay a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or to
     undergo imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.
        Section 4.  This act shall take effect in ten days.