SB 275

This bill allows a taxicab to stop in a disabled parking space to load a person

who has been issued a disabled parking card.

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)

special motor vehicle registration plates (disabled plates) or a special identification

card (disabled parking card) that affords certain parking privileges. If a motor

vehicle displays disabled plates or a disabled parking card, the motor vehicle may be

parked in spaces reserved for use by persons with physical disabilities (disabled

parking spaces) if: 1) the motor vehicle is parked by or under the direction of the

person issued the card or plates and this person is present; or 2) the motor vehicle

is operated by or on behalf of an organization and is used to transport a person

eligible for a disabled parking card. If a motor vehicle does not display disabled

plates or a disabled parking card, it is a violation for a person to park or stop the

motor vehicle in a disabled parking space.

This bill allows a taxicab operator to stop the taxicab in a disabled parking

space to load a passenger who has been issued a disabled parking card if the

passenger provides the disabled parking card number to the taxicab service when the

passenger arranges for transportation, the passenger presents the disabled parking

card to the taxicab operator when the passenger gets into the taxicab, and there is

no suitable, available loading zone for loading the passenger. When the passenger

gets into the taxicab, the passenger must also present to the taxicab operator a letter

from DOT issued with the disabled parking card.