Allows person entitled to disabled person license plate to park free at a parking meter if certain conditions are met

Title of bill

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to parking regulations for disabled persons

Purpose

Allows person entitled to disabled person license plate to park free at a parking meter if certain conditions are met.

Summary of provisions

The legislation amends §404-a of the vehicle and traffic law by adding a new subdivision 5-a exempting from parking meter fees those individuals with state-issued disabled license plates who lack sufficient mobility or fine motor control to either reach a parking meter or insert coins into the device.

Justification

This legislation would allow a person already entitled to disabled license plates to park for free at parking meters if certain additional conditions are met. Under current law, motorists with disabled license plates are entitled to park in specially-designated disabled parking spaces and to receive full-service refueling at the self-service price at retail gas stations that offer both. However, no current law addresses the dilemma faced by a disabled individual who can operate a motor vehicle but cannot utilize metered parking because of an inability to reach the meter or to insert coins in a tiny slot.

Michigan already has a similar law on the books for its disabled motorists. That state allows a disabled person to affix to his or her disabled license plate a special sticker issued by the state department of motor vehicles after requisite medical proof is furnished to the state that the required physical conditions are met.

Legislative history

2006 - S.4791 - Referred to Transportation 2008 - S.2231 - Referred to Transportation

Fiscal implications

None to the State.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.