2020 -- H 7920 | |
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LC004834 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- PARKING FACILITIES AND | |
PRIVILEGES | |
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Introduced By: Representative Stephen R. Ucci | |
Date Introduced: February 26, 2020 | |
Referred To: House Special Legislation | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Section 31-28-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-28 entitled "Parking |
2 | Facilities and Privileges" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
3 | 31-28-7. Motor vehicle plates for persons with disabilities -- Entitlement -- Designated |
4 | parking spaces -- Violations. |
5 | (a)(1) Persons, as defined in subsection (h) of this section, who do not own a motor vehicle |
6 | registered with the division, upon application and proof of permanent or long-term disability to the |
7 | division of motor vehicles, shall be issued one motor vehicle disability parking privilege placard, |
8 | for use when those persons are being transported, or in the case of a motorcycle, one motor vehicle |
9 | sticker, of blue which shall be imprinted with the white international symbol of access, certificate |
10 | number, the words "Rhode Island Disability Parking Permit" and shall bear the expiration date upon |
11 | its face. |
12 | (2) If the persons applying for motor vehicle permanent or long-term disability parking |
13 | privileges own a motor vehicle registered with the division, those persons shall receive special |
14 | license plates to be affixed to their vehicles imprinted with the white international symbol of access |
15 | and sticker bearing the expiration date upon its face. |
16 | (3) A placard or motorcycle sticker issued to a person whose disability is temporary shall |
17 | be substantially similar to that issued to a person with a permanent or long term disability. The |
18 | temporary placard, however, shall be a red placard with a white international symbol of access, |
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1 | certificate number, the words "Rhode Island Disability Parking Permit" and shall bear the |
2 | expiration dates upon its face. A preliminary placard shall be similar to that issued to a person with |
3 | a permanent, long-term, or temporary disability. The preliminary placard shall be effective for |
4 | twenty-one (21) days, and may be issued by an applicant's licensed physician, if in the medical |
5 | provider's opinion the applicant's medical condition merits the issuance of a preliminary placard |
6 | while the division considers the applicant's qualifications for any type of disability parking permit. |
7 | The preliminary placard shall be an orange placard with a white international symbol of access, |
8 | certificate number, the words "Rhode Island Disability Parking Permit" and shall bear the |
9 | expiration date upon its face and shall be displayed on the dashboard of the vehicle in a manner |
10 | that it is clearly visible from the front. The division of motor vehicles shall promulgate rules |
11 | governing the issuance and use of preliminary placards. Applicants shall not be charged any fee |
12 | associated with the issuance of a preliminary placard. Physicians submitting false information to |
13 | the division of motor vehicles to obtain a preliminary placard on anyone's behalf may be subject to |
14 | the penalties set forth in § 11-18-1.3. |
15 | (4) Persons issued special license plates, a placard or motorcycle sticker pursuant to this |
16 | section shall be entitled to the immunities of §§ 31-28-4 and 31-28-6. The placard shall conform to |
17 | the Uniform Parking System for Disabled Drivers standard issued by the United States Department |
18 | of Transportation. If an application for special license plates, a placard or motorcycle sticker is |
19 | denied, the division of motor vehicles shall promptly notify the applicant in writing, stating the |
20 | specific reason(s) for the denial, and advising the applicant of the procedures for requesting a |
21 | hearing to appeal the denial. Prior to the appeal hearing, the applicant shall be provided with any |
22 | and all documents relied upon by the division in denying the application. If an application contains |
23 | a physician certification that the applicant is sufficiently disabled to require special license plates, |
24 | a placard or motorcycle sticker, and the division has not provided specific reasons in its denial letter |
25 | to the applicant, the hearing officer shall summarily order that special license plates, a placard or |
26 | motorcycle sticker be provided to the applicant. At all other hearings of application denials where |
27 | a physician certification has been provided, the division shall bear the burden of proof that the |
28 | individual is not entitled to special license plates, a placard or motorcycle sticker pursuant to this |
29 | chapter. |
30 | (b) A placard issued pursuant to this section shall be portable and used only when the |
31 | person is being transported. The placard is to be hung from the rear view mirror so as to be seen |
32 | through the front or rear windshield of the motor vehicle. A placard may be issued to a person with |
33 | a disability who does not own a motor vehicle, to be used only when he or she is being transported. |
34 | A motorcycle sticker issued pursuant to this section shall not be portable and shall be affixed to the |
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1 | rear plate of the motorcycle. |
2 | (c)(1) The certificate of entitlement to the special license plates, placard or motorcycle |
3 | sticker shall be renewed every six (6) years for individuals with a long-term disability, as defined |
4 | in subsection (d) of this section, and the renewal application shall require a physician's certification |
5 | that the condition has not changed since the previous approval, and six (6) years for individuals |
6 | with a permanent disability as defined in subsection (h) of this section, in accordance with a |
7 | schedule prepared by the division of motor vehicles that uses the last name of an individual to |
8 | determine the month of renewal. If an application or subsequent renewal is accompanied by a |
9 | physician's certification that the applicant's condition is a chronic, permanent impairment and that |
10 | application is approved, then any subsequent renewal shall be authorized upon receipt of a notarized |
11 | affidavit from the applicant or applicant's, guardian or legal representative or a certificate from the |
12 | applicant's physician that his or her condition has not changed since the previous approval. |
13 | (2) The certificate of entitlement to the special license plates, placard or motorcycle sticker |
14 | shall be covered with plastic or similar material. The applicant shall, upon timely renewal, receive |
15 | a sticker bearing the expiration date of the certificate of entitlement to be affixed across the |
16 | expiration date of the special license plates, disability parking privilege placard or in the case of a |
17 | motorcycle the applicant shall receive a new motorcycle sticker. The division of motor vehicles |
18 | shall establish rules and regulations allowing for the renewal of the certificates of entitlement by |
19 | mail. |
20 | (3) Whenever the division of motor vehicles proposes to suspend, revoke or fail to renew |
21 | the certificate of entitlement for noncompliance with the requirements of this section or for |
22 | violation of subsection (h) of this section, the individual shall first be entitled to a hearing before |
23 | the division of motor vehicles to contest the proposed action. At the hearing, the division of motor |
24 | vehicles shall bear the burden of proof that the individual is not entitled to the special license plates, |
25 | placard or motorcycle sticker pursuant to this chapter. There shall be no renewal fee charged for |
26 | the placards or motorcycle sticker. The division of motor vehicles shall be authorized to issue a |
27 | temporary disability parking privilege placard or motorcycle sticker immediately upon receipt of |
28 | an application for individuals with a temporary impairment, as defined in subsection (h) of this |
29 | section. A temporary placard or motorcycle sticker shall be valid for sixty (60) days from the date |
30 | of issuance. Temporary placards or motorcycle stickers may be renewed for a period of one year |
31 | or less, as determined by the medical advisory board upon application if the disability persists. The |
32 | division of motor vehicles shall subsequently review the applications in accordance with the |
33 | procedures currently in effect as to applications from persons whose disability is long term. Any |
34 | issuance which, after subsequent review, shall be found to be inappropriate shall be revoked and |
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1 | notice of the revocation shall be sent to the applicant. |
2 | (d) A person, other than a person with a disability, who for his or her own purposes uses |
3 | the parking privilege placard, shall be fined five hundred dollars ($500) for each violation. A person |
4 | issued a special placard who uses the placard after expiration, or who shall allow unauthorized use |
5 | of the disability parking placard or sticker, may be subject to immediate revocation of the use of |
6 | the placard by the division of motor vehicles, and subject to a fine of five hundred dollars ($500). |
7 | (e) Disability parking spaces shall be designated and identified by the posting of signs |
8 | above ground level incorporating the international symbol of access of white on blue, and the words |
9 | "Handicapped Parking", "Disability Parking," "Disabled Parking," or "Reserved Parking" at each |
10 | space, at both ends of a row or series of adjacent disability parking spaces, or at the entrance to a |
11 | parking lot restricted to only disability parking. |
12 | (f) A person, other than a person issued special license plates, a special placard or |
13 | motorcycle sticker pursuant to this section, who parks a vehicle in a parking space designated for |
14 | persons with disabilities, shall be fined: (1) one hundred dollars ($100) for a first violation, (2) one |
15 | hundred seventy-five dollars ($175) for a second violation, and (3) three hundred twenty-five |
16 | dollars ($325) for a third or subsequent violation. The vehicle may be subject to towing at the |
17 | owner's expense. Provided further, that it shall not be unlawful for a person to park a vehicle in a |
18 | space designated for person with disabilities if that person is transporting a person who has been |
19 | issued a special placard and is properly displaying the placard on the vehicle. |
20 | (g) Enforcement of the parking provisions of this section shall be enforced by the local or |
21 | state authorities on public or private property when the location of the parking spaces is within the |
22 | purview of the State Building Code, chapter 27.3 of title 23. |
23 | (h) Definitions. For the purpose of this section: |
24 | (1) "Disabled" or "disability" means a permanent or long-term impairment which prevents |
25 | or impedes walking, which shall include but not be limited to: (i) an impairment which prevents |
26 | walking and requires use of a wheelchair; (ii) an impairment which involuntarily causes difficulty |
27 | or insecurity in walking or climbing stairs with or without the need to use braces, crutches, canes |
28 | or artificial support; (iii) an impairment caused by amputation, arthritis, blindness (including legally |
29 | blind), or orthopedic condition; (iv) an impairment in respiratory, circulatory, or neurological health |
30 | which limits the person's walking capability; or (v) disabled veteran, pursuant to § 31-6-8 after |
31 | certification of eligibility from the Veterans' Administration or other satisfactory documentation of |
32 | eligibility is presented. Persons with disabilities may be capable of working or may be presently |
33 | working. |
34 | (2) "Long-term disability" means an impairment which is potentially reversible or may |
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1 | improve with appropriate medical treatment. At the time of application and or renewal, the |
2 | impairment should not be expected to improve prior to the expiration of the certification, to a point |
3 | where the individual does not meet the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection. |
4 | (3) "Permanent disability" means an impairment which is non-reversible. |
5 | (4) "Temporary impairment" means an impairment which is expected to improve to a point |
6 | where the individual does not meet the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, within two |
7 | (2) years of the application. |
8 | (i) The department of revenue shall inform each licensed driver of the certificate procedures |
9 | and parking restrictions of this section and §§ 31-28-4 and 31-28-6, and a facsimile of the portable |
10 | placards and motorcycle stickers issued under this section shall be sent to the enforcing authority |
11 | of each state, and each enforcing authority shall be informed of the parking restrictions of this |
12 | section and §§ 31-28-4 and 31-28-6. Recipients of disability parking privilege placards shall also |
13 | receive instructions on their use and the penalties for misuse, when the placard is initially issued. |
14 | (j) Any person who makes, manufactures, offers for sale or knowingly uses a counterfeit |
15 | parking privilege placard shall be fined up to five hundred dollars ($500) and/or forty (40) hours |
16 | of community restitution. |
17 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2021. |
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LC004834 | |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- PARKING FACILITIES AND | |
PRIVILEGES | |
*** | |
1 | This act would authorize the division of motor vehicles to issue special license plates for |
2 | persons suffering from permanent or long-term disability who own motor vehicles registered with |
3 | the division instead of a motor vehicle disability parking privilege placard. |
4 | This act would take effect on July 1, 2021. |
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LC004834 | |
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