| f | it is enacted by the general assembly as follows: section 1. | f | it is enacted by the general assembly as follows: section 1. |
| n | section 31-28-7.3 of the general laws in chapter 31-28 entitled "parking facilit | n | chapter 31-28 of the general laws entitled "parking facilities and privileges" i |
| ies and privileges" is hereby amended to read as follows: 31-28-7.3. | | s hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 31-28-7.4. |
| disability parking enforcement program. | | motor vehicle plates for persons with disabilities -- adaptive vehicle license p |
| | | late. |
| (a) the state police, department of environmental management, airport corporatio | | (a) definitions. |
| n, capitol police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabiliti | | |
| es and hospitals, governor’s commission on disabilities, and the state operated | | |
| colleges shall establish a disability parking enforcement enhancement programs n | | |
| o later than january 1, 2000. | | |
| on or after july 1, 2026, the governor's commission on disabilities shall have i | | as used in the section: (1) "adaptive vehicle" means a motor vehicle that has be |
| nput for any amendments, changes or updates to the disability parking enforcemen | | en structurally modified or equipped with specialized equipment (such as ramps, |
| t program. | | lifts, lowered floors, specialized hand controls, or restraint systems) to accom |
| | | modate the transportation needs of an individual with a significant mobility imp |
| | | airment. |
| the program will be designed to improve enforcement of disability parking laws o | | (2) "adaptive vehicle license plate" means a special registration plate issued u |
| n state-owned property and in parking facilities serving space leased or owned b | | nder this section that identifies a vehicle as an adaptive or mobility-modified |
| y the state, including state departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and qua | | vehicle. |
| si- governmental corporations. | | |
| citations issued in conjunction with this program shall be submitted to the traf | | (3) "qualified individual" means a person who has a permanent mobility impairmen |
| fic tribunal or its successor entity for collection pursuant to §§ 31-28-7 and 3 | | t certified by a licensed physician or a physical therapist, necessitating the u |
| 1-28-7.1 and the fines collected through shall be paid over to the state agency | | se of an adaptive vehicle for transport. |
| or college that issued the citation. | | |
| (b) the several cities and towns shall establish disability parking enforcement | | (b) eligibility requirements. |
| enhancement programs. | | |
| citations issued in conjunction with local enforcement programs shall be submitt | | (1) completed application form from the department of motor vehicles. |
| ed to the municipal court, where established, or to the traffic tribunal or its | | |
| successor entity. | | |
| fines collected through citations issued in accordance with local enforcement pr | | (2) medical certification of disability/need for vehicle modification. |
| ogram specifications shall be paid over to the city or town or pursuant to §§ 31 | | |
| -28-7 and 31-28-7.1. | | |
| (c) disability parking enforcement enhancement plans. | | (3) proof of vehicle modification. |
| (1) the state police, department of environmental management, airport corporatio | | (4) standard registration fees apply. |
| n, capitol police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabiliti | | |
| es and hospitals, and the state operated colleges shall submit a disability park | | |
| ing enforcement enhancement plan to the governor’s commission on disabilities. | | |
| (2) cities and towns shall submit a disability parking enforcement enhancement p | | (c) privileges and access. |
| lan to the governor’s commission on the disability. | | |
| (3) the disability parking enforcement enhancement plans shall describe the enfo | | vehicles displaying an adaptive vehicle license plate shall be eligible for: (1) |
| rcement program which the state police, department of environmental management, | | parking in designated accessible loading/unloading zones for the purpose of ass |
| airport corporation, capitol police, department of behavioral healthcare, develo | | isting a qualified individual; (2) exemption from certain height, width, or bump |
| pmental disabilities and hospitals, governor’s commission on disabilities, the s | | er restrictions applicable to non- modified vehicles, as allowed by state law; ( |
| tate operated colleges or the municipality intends to establish. | | 3) use of designated areas at public facilities where adaptive vehicles require |
| | | additional space for ramp deployment or passenger transfer. |
| (4) the disability parking enforcement enhancement plan shall be reviewed by gov | | (d) the division of motor vehicles may, in addition to the provisions of § 31-28 |
| ernor’s commission on disabilities within sixty (60) days of receipt and suggest | | -7, furnish plates displaying the "internation symbol of access" for a pleasure |
| improvements to the disability parking enforcement enhancement plans, that shal | | passenger vehicle or a pickup truck used exclusively for noncommercial purposes |
| l not be construed as required amendments. | | for a qualified individual. |
| (d) the types of disability parking enforcement enhancement programs which may b | | |
| e put in place in each municipality, and by the state police, department of envi | | |
| ronmental management, airport corporation, capitol police, department of behavio | | |
| ral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals, governor’s commission | | |
| on disabilities, and the state operated colleges, may include, but shall not be | | |
| limited to: (1) enforcement programs which utilize persons deputized for the pur | | |
| pose of the disability parking enforcement enhancement program. | | |
| the disability parking enforcement deputies shall be required to complete a mini | | |
| mum of four (4) hours training in parking enforcement before being assigned to t | | |
| he program. | | |
| each municipality and the state police, department of environmental management, | | |
| airport corporation, capitol police, department of behavioral healthcare, develo | | |
| pmental disabilities and hospitals, governor’s commission on disabilities, and t | | |
| he state operated colleges shall provide adequate training and shall assume all | | |
| liability associated with disability parking enforcement. | | |
| (2) enforcement programs which specifically designate paid and trained personnel | | |
| as staff for the disability parking enforcement enhancement program. | | |
| these personnel are not limited to on-duty police officers, but may also include | | |
| officers to be paid overtime, auxiliary personnel, special forces, retired pers | | |
| onnel, and other paid employee deemed by the responsible authority to - page 2 o | | |
| f 4 be competent and qualified. | | |
| (e) beginning january 1, 2027 and on each january 1 thereafter, cities and towns | | |
| and the state police, department of environmental management, airport corporati | | |
| on, capitol police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilit | | |
| ies and hospitals, and the state operated colleges shall be required to submit t | | |
| o the governor’s commission on disabilities an annual progress report chroniclin | | |
| g the collections of fines, procedures used, convictions, and any problems or su | | |
| ccesses which result from the disability parking enforcement enhancement program | | |
| . | | |
| following receipt of an annual program report, the governor’s commission on disa | | |
| bilities may suggest improvements to a disability parking enforcement enhancemen | | |
| t program. | | |
| section 2. | | section 2. |
| this act shall take effect upon passage. | | this act shall take effect upon passage. |
| n | ======== ======== - page 3 of 4 explanation by the legislative council of a n a | n | ======== ======== - page 2 of 3 explanation by the legislative council of a n a |
| c t relating to motor and other vehicles -- parking facilities and privileges ** | | c t relating to motor and other vehicles -- parking facilities and privileges ** |
| * this act would add the governor’s commission on disabilities to the list of pa | | * this act would create a new registration plate for qualified individuals to po |
| rticipants of the disability parking enforcement program. | | ssess an "adaptive vehicle license plate" to accommodate the transportation need |
| | | s of an individual with a significant mobility impairment. |
| additionally, beginning january 1, 2027 the disability parking enforcement progr | | |
| am shall submit an annual report to the governor’s commission on disabilities. | | |
| this act would take effect upon passage. | | this act would take effect upon passage. |
| t | ======== ======== - page 4 of 4. | t | ======== ======== - page 3 of 3. |