Title: An act relating to parking places for persons with disabilities.

Brief Description: Revising marking requirement parking places for persons with disabilities.

Sponsors: Representatives Wallace, Woods, Simpson, Morrell, Lovick, Flannigan, Chase, Moeller and Kilmer.

Brief History:

Transportation: 2/21/05, 3/5/05 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 25 members: Representatives Murray, Chair; Wallace, Vice Chair; Woods, Ranking Minority Member; Skinner, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appleton, Buck, Campbell, Curtis, Dickerson, Ericksen, Hankins, Hudgins, Jarrett, Kilmer, Lovick, Morris, Nixon, Rodne, Sells, Shabro, Simpson, B. Sullivan, Takko, Upthegrove and Wood.

Staff: Beth Redfield (786-7347).

Background:

To be enforceable, parking spaces for persons with disabilities are required to have two indicators. The first is a sign with the international symbol of access. The second is a notice which states that a "state disabled parking permit required."

Summary of Substitute Bill:

Parking spaces for persons with disabilities do not have to be marked by a notice with specific language stating that a disabled parking permit is required. The signs may include additional language indicating the amount of the monetary penalty for parking in the space without a valid permit. Other statutes relating to parking spaces for persons with disabilities are changed to conform to respectful language requirements in RCW 44.04.280. That law requires the use of terminology that puts the person before the disability.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

The substitute bill adds that the sign may include additional language, including the amount of the monetary penalty for parking in the space without a valid permit. Other statutes relating to parking spaces for persons with disabilities are changed to conform to respectful language requirements in RCW 44.04.280. That law requires the use of terminology that puts the person before the disability.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: None.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: When you think of these parking spaces, you think of the international sign of access and imagine the blue sign with the wheelchair. Do you need the statement that says "state disabled parking permit required?" We don't need these words. That's what the international symbols are for. In fact, turns out that these words affect people. Many people who use these parking spaces don't think of themselves as disabled and don't like the word "disabled." Let's take off the language and use the international symbol of access instead. This bill is the logical next step in respectful language law passed in 2004. We need to continue the state's commitment to put people first, not their disabilities, and remove disabled language from state law. The bill does not change the requirement for permits or that violators will have to pay fines. In fact, more parking spaces will be enforceable and therefore more revenue may be collected from them. This is a simple and respectful step and it will have a lasting impact on the way that people with disabilities are viewed in the State of Washington. Signs do not have to be replaced immediately and can be phased in over time.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Wallace, prime sponsor; James Oliver; and Emily Rogers, Self Advocates In Leadership.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.