Eric Carpenter-Grantham sits at his kitchen counter, the afternoon light shining through the windows and glistens off three mockup logos he’s poring over. One design is for autism, one is for mental health and one is for hearing loss. None feel right. Discouraged, Eric prays for an idea. When he lifts his head, he sees it: a colorful butterfly magnet stuck to the refrigerator door.

The butterfly would later become the symbol behind Eric’s ID Law. The law states that individuals applying for a driver’s license in Maryland must be given the option to indicate if they have a non-apparent disability. As students at JDS reach the age where they can apply for their driver’s license, some will be able to take advantage of this bill. A butterfly emblem will be subsequently marked on their state-issued ID. The bill passed unanimously in the House of Representatives and Senate and was signed into law by Governor Wes Moore on May 13.

“It meant peace, hope, freedom and change,” Eric said. “That’s how the butterfly became real. And the colors of the wings represented all disabilities. All colors. All people.”

Non-apparent disabilities, such as autism, epilepsy and hearing loss, can interfere with police-civilian interaction and disrupt communication if officers are unaware of disabilities. According to Eric’s mother, Linda Carpenter-Graham, Eric, being a person of color, also faces the potential dangers of racial discrimination.

“This is a bill to save lives for all people,” Linda said. “However, it has been a fact that the experience has been different for people of color when being stopped by law enforcement.”

After the death of George Floyd, Linda advised Eric should he ever be pulled over, to notify the police that he has autism, to provide police with Linda’s contact information and to be careful not to reach for his phone. Eric expressed his concern with these instructions, knowing that they could be challenging for his peers with more diverse disabilities.

“I told my mom, ‘I can do that, but my friends… their autism is different than mine,’” Eric said. “Some of them are lower on the spectrum, some are highly functioning and some have sensory issues. That’s how I thought of Eric’s ID Law.”

Eric set out to enhance the safety and efficiency of police interactions for people with disabilities. He and Linda reached out to Maryland Senator Will Smith as constituents. They met in July 2023, and he was in full support. A draft was made and taken through the state assembly. In just two sessions, Eric’s Law passed through the House and Senate.

There is no additional fee for applicants choosing to disclose their disability, and applicants are not required to present any medical records as proof of their condition. The butterfly notation will be processed in the standard time for most Motor Vehicle Association (MVA) license issuance, meaning applicants can expect their IDs on time with standard ones.

The legislation is designed to prioritize the privacy of its beneficiaries. Applicants have the option to disclose their disability or not, and if at any point they want the data removed, the MVA is required to comply. Eric, Linda and Smith worked in tandem with the disability advocacy community for two years to ensure their bill covered all bases.

“Generally, feedback from the disability advocacy community has been overwhelmingly positive,” Smith said. “This is a product that most folks are happy with because it was a very deliberative process.”

The law will take effect on Oct. 1, and starting then, anyone applying for a new driver’s license, renewing an old one or requesting a corrected ID will have access to the notation.

Just as Eric was faced with an idea and took action to make it a reality, he encourages others to take after him by making their goals a reality.

“Believe in yourself,” Eric said. “Believe that you are going to achieve your dream. It might take a long time. It took me two years to get this bill. I didn’t know anything about politics. I’m not a lobbyist. I’m not an elected official. I just woke up one day and said, ‘I have an idea.’ And look what it became. If you have an idea, go and do it. It’s going to change lives.”

This story was originally published on The Lion’s Tale on September 9, 2025.