SB 652

Under current law, a person with a disability that limits or impairs the ability

to walk may apply for and obtain from the Department of Transportation (DOT) a

special identification card (disabled parking card). With limited exceptions, a

disabled parking card entitles any motor vehicle parked by or under the direction of

the card holder, or any motor vehicle operated by or on behalf of an organization and

used to transport a person eligible for a card, to parking privileges. A person or

organization may be required to forfeit not less than $50 nor more than $300 if the

person or organization sells or lends a disabled parking card knowing that the person

purchasing or borrowing the card is not authorized by law to use it or displays a

disabled parking card on a vehicle knowing that the vehicle is not authorized to have

the card displayed on it. In addition, any person or organization that fraudulently

procures, makes, alters, reproduces, or duplicates a disabled parking card must

forfeit not less than $200 nor more than $500.

This bill increases the penalty for selling a disabled parking card to an

unauthorized user from a potential forfeiture of not less than $50 nor more than $300

to a mandatory forfeiture of not less than $200 nor more than $500. The bill also

prohibits fraudulent use of a disabled parking card, which is subject to a potential

forfeiture of not less than $50 nor more than $300 if the violator was issued the

disabled parking card by DOT and a mandatory forfeiture of not less than $200 nor

more than $500 if the violator was not issued the disabled parking card by DOT. The

bill also eliminates the requirement that, to constitute a violation for displaying a

disabled parking card on a vehicle not authorized to have the card displayed on it,

the violator must know that the vehicle is not authorized to have the card displayed

on it.