SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SHB 1376

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                 Transportation, April 2, 1999

Title:  An act relating to special parking privileges for leg amputees.

Brief Description:  Simplifying disabled parking certification for leg amputees.

Sponsors:  House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives G. Chandler, Fisher, Mitchell, K. Schmidt, Romero, Mielke, Skinner, Scott, O'Brien, Wood and Mulliken).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  3/25/99, 4/2/99 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

  Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Goings, Vice Chair; Benton, Costa, Eide, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Morton, Oke, Patterson, Sheahan, T. Sheldon and Shin.

Staff:  Reema Shawa (786-7301)

Background:  Under current law, if an individual wishes to apply for special parking privileges for persons with disabilities, he or she must submit a physician's certification form to the Department of Licensing confirming his or her disability.  This certification is required of all applicants regardless of the type of disability.  Therefore, even those individuals with permanent apparent disabilities, such as leg amputees, must go through the process of having a doctor confirm the amputation and subsequent inability to walk long distances.

After the enactment of additional provisions in 1998, the Department of Licensing initiated a one-time recertification process by which all existing special parking permit holders must submit a form signed by their physician recertifying their disability and thus recertifying their right to continued use of the privileges associated with the permit.  This recertification requirement has been applied across the board to all permit holders regardless of the type of disability they may have.  Therefore, even individuals with permanent disabilities, such as leg amputees, are required to have their physician reconfirm their disability in order for them to keep their permit valid.

Summary of Amended Bill:  Individuals who have lost a lower extremity are exempt from the physician certification requirement necessary to receive special parking privileges.  To satisfy the certification requirement and in lieu of a physician's certification, authorized Department of Licensing staff will visually confirm the loss of the lower extremity.  Additionally, applicants must sign a form certifying that they cannot walk 200 feet without stopping.

For individuals who receive a disabled parking permit in this manner, for enforcement purposes, their identification cards will have a notation that they certified their inability to walk.

The penalty for providing false information is immediate cancellation of the permit.

The Department of Licensing cannot require existing permit holders to obtain a physician's recertification of their disabilities in order to renew their disabled parking permits.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:  The amended bill adds provisions which require applicants to sign a certification form confirming that they cannot walk 200 feet without stopping.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Some relief is provided to those in the disabled community who have suffered the loss of a lower extremity, as this type of visually apparent disability should not require a physician=s confirmation.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Gary Chandler, prime sponsor.