Brief Description: Adding porphyria to the list of disabilities for special parking privileges.

Sponsors: Representatives Kagi and Moeller.

Hearing Date: 1/16/06

Staff: David Munnecke (786-7315).

Background:

Porphyria refers to a group of at least eight inheritable metabolic disorders characterized by the build-up of porphyrins or porphyrin precursors in the body due to the lack of enzymes necessary to metabolize these chemicals. In many of these disorders, the accumulation of porphyrin in the skin can cause burning, blistering, swelling and scarring of sun-exposed areas.

The Department of Licensing is required to grant special parking privileges to any person that has a disability that limits or impairs the ability to walk and meets one of the following criteria, as determined by a licensed physician or an advanced nurse practitioner:

• Cannot walk further than 200 feet without stopping to rest;
• Is severely limited in the ability to walk due to arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition;
• Is so severely disabled that the person cannot walk without an assistive device;
• Uses portable oxygen;
• Is restricted by lung disease to a particular extent;
• Is impaired by cardiovascular disease or cardiac condition to a particular extent; or
• Has a disability resulting from acute sensitivity to automobile emissions that impairs the ability to walk.

Other states have added conditions that do not involve limits or impairments to the ability to walk to the list of disability that merit the granting of special parking privileges.

Summary of Bill:

Adds persons restricted by a form of porphyria to the extent that they would benefit from a decrease in exposure to light to the list of persons to whom the director of the Department of Licensing shall grant special parking privileges.

The use of the special parking privileges by persons with porphyria is limited, however, to the time between one-half hour before sunrise and one-half hour after sunset.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect on July 1, 2006.