S-0635.1

SENATE BILL 5253

BySenators Sheldon and Kuderer

AN ACT Relating to the use of "van accessible" parking spots; and amending RCW 46.19.030 and 46.19.050.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 46.19.030 and 2016 c 84 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department shall design special license plates for persons with disabilities, parking placards, and year tabs displaying the international symbol of access.

(2) Special license plates for persons with disabilities must be displayed on the motor vehicle as standard issue license plates as described in RCW 46.16A.200.

(3) Parking placards must include both a serial number and the expiration date on the face of the placard. The expiration date and serial number must be of a sufficient size as to be easily visible from a distance of ten feet from where the placard is displayed.

(4) Parking placards must be displayed when the motor vehicle is parked by suspending it from the rearview mirror. In the absence of a rearview mirror, the parking placard must be displayed on the dashboard. The parking placard must be displayed in a manner that allows for the entire placard to be viewed through the vehicle windshield.

(5) Special year tabs for persons with disabilities must be displayed on license plates or metal tags issued pursuant to RCW 46.09.442, in a manner as defined by the department.

(6) Persons who have been issued special license plates for persons with disabilities, parking placards, or special license plates with a special year tab for persons with disabilities may park in places reserved for persons with physical disabilities. However, persons may not park in parking spaces designated as "van accessible" under RCW 19.27.550 unless they are parking vehicles equipped for, and utilizing, wheelchairs or mobility equipment.

Sec. 2. RCW 46.19.050 and 2014 c 124 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) False information. Knowingly providing false information in conjunction with the application for special parking privileges for persons with disabilities is a gross misdemeanor punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW.

(2) Unauthorized use. Any unauthorized use of the parking placard, special license plate, special year tab, or identification card issued under this chapter is a parking infraction with a monetary penalty of two hundred fifty dollars. In addition to any penalty or fine imposed under this subsection, two hundred dollars must be assessed. For the purpose of this subsection, "unauthorized use" includes (a) any use of a parking placard, special license plate, special year tab, or identification card that is expired, inactivated, faked, forged, or counterfeited, (b) any use of a parking placard, special license plate, special year tab, or identification card to park in a "van accessible" parking space under RCW 19.27.550 when not actually parking a vehicle equipped for, and utilizing, wheelchairs or mobility equipment, (c) any use of a parking placard, special license plate, special year tab, or identification card of another holder if the initial holder is no longer eligible to use or receive it, and (((c)))(d) any use of a parking placard, special license plate, special year tab, or identification card of another holder even if permitted to do so by the holder.

(3) Inaccessible access. It is a parking infraction, with a monetary penalty of two hundred fifty dollars, for a person to stop, stand, or park in, block, or otherwise make inaccessible the access aisle located next to a space reserved for persons with physical disabilities. In addition to any penalty or fine imposed under this subsection, two hundred dollars must be assessed. The clerk of the court shall report all violations related to this subsection to the department.

(4) Parking without placard/plate. It is a parking infraction, with a monetary penalty of two hundred fifty dollars, for any person to park a vehicle in a parking place provided on private property without charge or on public property reserved for persons with physical disabilities without a placard or special license plate issued under this chapter. In addition to any penalty or fine imposed under this subsection, two hundred dollars must be assessed. If a person is charged with a violation, the person will not be determined to have committed an infraction if the person establishes that the person operating the vehicle or being transported at the time of the infraction had a valid placard, special license plate, or special year tab issued under this chapter as required under this chapter. Such person must sign a statement under penalty of perjury that the placard, special license plate, or special year tab produced prior to the court appearance was valid at the time of infraction and issued under this chapter as required under this chapter.

(5) Time restrictions. A local jurisdiction may impose by ordinance time restrictions of no less than four hours on the use of nonreserved, on-street parking spaces by vehicles displaying the special parking placards or special license plates issued under this chapter. All time restrictions must be clearly posted.

(6) Improper display of placard/plate. It is a parking infraction, with a monetary penalty of two hundred fifty dollars, to fail to fully display a placard or special license plate issued under this chapter while parked in a public place on private property without charge, while parked on public property reserved for persons with physical disabilities, or while parking free of charge as allowed under RCW 46.61.582. In addition to any penalty or fine imposed under this subsection, two hundred dollars must be assessed, for a total of four hundred fifty dollars. For the purpose of this subsection, "fully display" means hanging or placing the placard or special license plate so that the full face of the placard or license plate is visible, including the serial number and expiration date of the license plate or placard. If a person is charged with a violation of this subsection, that person will not be determined to have committed an infraction if the person produces in court or before the court appearance a valid identification card issued to that person under RCW 46.19.010.

(7) Allocation and use of funds - reimbursement. (a) The assessment imposed under subsections (2), (3), (4), and (6) of this section must be allocated as follows:

(i) One hundred dollars must be deposited in the accessible communities account created in RCW 50.40.071; and

(ii) One hundred dollars must be deposited in the multimodal transportation account under RCW 47.66.070 for the sole purpose of supplementing a grant program for special needs transportation provided by transit agencies and nonprofit providers of transportation that is administered by the department of transportation.

(b) Any reduction in any penalty or fine and assessment imposed under subsections (2), (3), (4), and (6) of this section must be applied proportionally between the penalty or fine and the assessment. When a reduced penalty is imposed under subsection (2), (3), (4), or (6) of this section, the amount deposited in the accounts identified in (a) of this subsection must be reduced equally and proportionally.

(c) The penalty or fine amounts must be used by that local jurisdiction exclusively for law enforcement. The court may also impose an additional penalty sufficient to reimburse the local jurisdiction for any costs that it may have incurred in the removal and storage of the improperly parked vehicle.

(8) Illegal obtainment. Except as provided in subsection (1) of this section, it is a misdemeanor punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW for any person willfully to obtain a special license plate, placard, special year tab, or identification card issued under this chapter in a manner other than that established under this chapter.

(9) Sale of a placard/plate/tab/card. It is a misdemeanor punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW for any person to sell a placard, special license plate, special year tab, or identification card issued under this chapter.

(10) Volunteer appointment. A law enforcement agency authorized to enforce parking laws may appoint volunteers, with a limited commission, to issue notices of infractions for violations of subsections (2), (3), (4), and (6) of this section or RCW 46.19.030 or 46.61.581. Volunteers must be at least twenty-one years of age. The law enforcement agency appointing volunteers may establish any other qualifications that the agency deems desirable.

(a) An agency appointing volunteers under this section must provide training to the volunteers before authorizing them to issue notices of infractions.

(b) A notice of infraction issued by a volunteer appointed under this subsection has the same force and effect as a notice of infraction issued by a peace officer for the same offense.

(c) A peace officer or a volunteer may request a person to show the person's identification card or special parking placard when investigating the possibility of a violation of this section. If the request is refused, the person in charge of the vehicle may be issued a notice of infraction for a violation of this section.

(11) Surrender of a placard/plate/tab/card. If a person is found to have violated the special parking privileges provided in this chapter, and unless an appeal of that finding is pending, a judge may order that the person surrender his or her placard, special license plate, special year tab, or identification card issued under this chapter.

(12) Community restitution. For second or subsequent violations of this section, in addition to a monetary penalty, the violator must complete a minimum of forty hours of:

(a) Community restitution for a nonprofit organization that serves persons with disabilities or disabling diseases; or

(b) Any other community restitution that may sensitize the violator to the needs and obstacles faced by persons with disabilities.

(13) Fine suspension. The court may not suspend more than one-half of any fine imposed under subsection (2), (3), (4), or (6) of this section.

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