FINAL BILL REPORT

                  ESB 5873

                          C 384 L 95

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Raising the fine for parking in places reserved for physically handicapped persons.

Sponsors:  Senators Fairley, Owen, Fraser, Smith, Prentice, Kohl and Oke.

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

House Committee on Law & Justice

Background:  Current law allows the director of the Department of Licensing to grant special parking privileges to any person with a disability that substantially limits his or her ability to walk.  These persons are issued special license plates or placards that allow them to park in parking places reserved for physically disabled persons.

Any person who is not authorized to park his or her car in a parking place reserved for physically disabled persons is subject to a base fine of $50.  It is suggested that the frequency of unauthorized persons using disabled parking places would decrease if a greater monetary penalty were imposed.

Summary:  Any person who parks an unauthorized vehicle in a parking place reserved for disabled persons is subject to a monetary penalty of $175.  The same monetary penalty applies to disabled parking violations occurring on the state capitol grounds.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    46 0

House     97 0 (House amended)

Senate        (Senate refused to concur)

Conference Committee

House     92 1

Senate    45 0

Effective:  July 23, 1995