STAND. COM. REP. 746

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 1572

H.D. 3

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1572, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PARKING FOR DISABLED PERSONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to improve and strengthen enforcement of various provisions governing access to parking by the disabled. Among other things, this bill:

(1) Authorizes a law enforcement officer, and, under certain conditions, a commissioned volunteer enforcement officer, to access the property of a private entity to enforce disabled parking laws;

(2) Prohibits parking in access aisles adjacent to disabled parking stalls;

(3) Defines "removable windshield placard" to mean a two-sided, hanger-style placard issued to a person with a disability who presents a certificate of disability that verifies that the applicant's disability is expected to last for at least four years;

(4) Defines "temporary removable windshield placard" to mean a two-sided hanger-style placard issued to a person with a disability who presents a certificate of disability that verifies the person's disability in monthly increments, which shall not exceed six months;

(5) Repeals certain restrictions and requirements relating to the issuance of removable windshield placards, temporary removable windshield placards, and identification cards;

(6) Repeals the provision allowing a county to charge a replacement fee to be paid to the issuing agency when a placard is lost;

(7) Increases the penalty for fraudulent manufacture, alteration, or use of a placard or identification card from a petty misdemeanor to a misdemeanor.

(8) Repeals references to the international symbol of access in the section allowing vehicles displaying this symbol or special license plates, a removable windshield placard, or a temporary removable windshield placard to park in any metered parking space for a specified time without paying meter fees;

(9) Expands the list of parking infractions involving the use or failure to use removable windshield placards, temporary removable windshield placards, or special license plates; and

(10) Allows any citation refused by the violator to be mailed to the violator pursuant to summons or citation provisions under the Traffic Code.

Two concerned citizens supported this bill. The Honolulu

Police Department and the Disability and Communication Access Board supported the intent of this bill.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Providing that when a citation is mailed to a violator who has refused the citation, it must be sent by certified or registered mail that is postmarked within seventy-two hours of the time of the incident, subject to certain exceptions for Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays; and

(3) Making technical, substantive amendments for purposes of style and clarity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1572, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1572, H.D. 3.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

____________________________

DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair