SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

1997 SESSION

  • | print version

SB 845 Parking for persons with disabilities.

Introduced by: Mary Margaret Whipple | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY:

Parking for persons with disabilities. Revises statutes relating to disabled parking in conformance with the recommendations made by the joint subcommittee studying the enforcement and abuse of handicapped parking laws. The definitions of "organizational removable windshield placard," "permanent removable windshield placard," and "temporary removable windshield placard" are amended to include design changes which incorporate a month and year hole-punch system for expiration dates, a misuse hotline number, and a penalty warning. The penalty for illegally parking in a disabled parking space is raised to a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500. All disabled parking signs shall indicate this penalty by July 1, 1998. The governing body of any county, city, or town may by ordinance establish volunteer disabled parking enforcement units. In addition, any county, city, or town may by ordinance provide that the law allowing vehicles bearing disabled parking indicia four hours of free parking in time-restricted or metered spaces, shall not apply within the boundaries of such county, city, or town. Any person who (i) counterfeits a disabled parking license plate or placard, (ii) uses a counterfeit disabled parking license plate or placard, (iii) alters a disabled parking placard or plate, (iv) engages in the unauthorized use of a disabled parking placard, or (v) sells a valid, altered, or counterfeit disabled parking license plate or placard shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. Any person who provides, without exchange of consideration, any valid, altered, or counterfeit disabled parking license plate or placard shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. Any person enforcing disabled parking laws may request to examine the photo identification of any person using disabled parking privileges provided by Chapter 12.1. Law enforcement may confiscate the disabled parking placard of any person arrested for placard misuse. The Department may prohibit the issuance of disabled parking indicia to any person so arrested until the defendant's case reaches final disposition. Furthermore, upon receiving notice of a misuse conviction, the Department may revoke the disabled parking license plate or placard of the individual found guilty of the misuse offense. Commencing October 1, 1998, and ceasing January 1, 1999, the Department shall issue organizational and permanent removable windshield placards which meet new design standards to each valid placard holder. The Department shall instruct each placard holder to return their existing placard by mail, and placard holders will not have to be recertified as disabled in order to receive a new placard. All existing organizational and permanent placards will be invalidated on January 1, 1999, and any person displaying an invalid placard after such time may be charged with illegal disabled parking and the invalid placard will be subject to confiscation.


FULL TEXT

AMENDMENTS

HISTORY