HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1152

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

Requires the Department of Licensing (DOL) to work with the Washington State Patrol and interested parties to design a notification sticker that an individual with a disability or impairment that may affect interactions with medical or law enforcement personnel can place on his or her vehicle.
Requires the DOL to make the design available to interested parties.

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 26 members: Representatives Clibborn, Chair; Liias, Vice Chair; Roach, Ranking Minority Member; Rodne, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Armstrong, Campbell, Cox, Dickerson, Eddy, Ericksen, Finn, Herrera, Johnson, Klippert, Kristiansen, Moeller, Rolfes, Sells, Shea, Simpson, Springer, Takko, Upthegrove, Wallace, Williams and Wood.

Background:

The National Institute of Mental Health currently estimates that approximately 60 million American adults have a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. Of this population, slightly under one-quarter, or approximately 6 percent of all American adults, are estimated to have a serious mental illness. Mental disorders are currently the leading cause of disability in the United States for individuals between the ages of 15 and 44.

In 2007 the Washington State Patrol Field Operations Bureau initiated 1,269,135 traffic stops across the state, with approximately 41 percent of those interactions resulting in the issuance of some form of traffic citation. On the local level, the Seattle Police Department initiated 62,901 traffic stops in 2006 while the Vancouver Police Department initiated 38,838 in 2007.

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Summary of Substitute Bill:

The Director of the Department of Licensing (DOL) is required to work with the Washington State Patrol (WSP) and interested parties to design a notification sticker that may be used by an individual with a disability or impairment that might affect interactions with medical or law enforcement personnel. The notification sticker must be yellow, contain the international symbol of access and the words "Not a Parking Permit," and be designed to be displayed either on the windshield or license plate of the vehicle depending on the determination of the DOL. Upon completion, the DOL is required to make the design available to interested parties.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

The DOL is required to work with the WSP and interested parties in order to design the notification sticker. The requirement that the DOL issue the notification stickers after the design is complete is eliminated, along with the fee associated with the issuance of the sticker. Instead, the DOL is required to make the completed design available to interested parties.

The traffic infraction for persons who obtain the notification sticker other than through the DOL is also eliminated.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) People with disabilities may function in a manner that is subject to misinterpretation by others. People with disabilities should thus have a method by which they can identify themselves to law enforcement or other emergency responders in order to prevent such misinterpretations. This sticker concept is designed to protect both the individual with the disability and the responder with whom that individual is interacting by providing this identification.

Individuals with learning disabilities, individuals in diabetic shock who are thus behaving in a belligerent manner, and individuals with multiple sclerosis who are thus prone to difficult to control movements in stressful situations are all examples of individuals who both need and would benefit from such an identification sticker.

(Opposed) None.