Report Title:

Parking; Disabilities

Description:

Prohibits and establishes a penalty for parking in an access aisle adjacent to a reserved parking stall for persons with disabilities.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1449

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO PARKING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that current law provides a penalty when a person not in possession of a valid parking permit parks in a stall reserved for a person with a disability. However, the law does not provide any penalty for parking in an access aisle adjacent to the parking stall reserved for persons with disabilities. The access aisle is needed by a person with a disability to exit the person's vehicle, especially when using a mobility device such as a wheelchair, walker, crutches, or cane. The legislature finds that when the access aisle is occupied, the parking stall cannot be used by a qualified person with a disability. No vehicle should park in the access aisle.

The purpose of this Act is to create a penalty for parking in the access aisle adjacent to a parking space reserved for persons with disabilities.

SECTION 2. Section 291-57, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§291-57 Parking spaces reserved for persons with disabilities; penalties. (a) A person using a parking space reserved for persons with disabilities without properly displaying a removable windshield placard, temporary removable windshield placard, or special license plates, in accordance with this part or any rule adopted thereunder, shall be guilty of a traffic infraction under chapter 291D and shall be fined not less than $250 nor more than $500.

(b) Any person who uses a parking space reserved for persons with disabilities and refuses or fails to present an identification card issued under this chapter or the rules adopted thereunder to an enforcement officer upon request shall be guilty of a traffic infraction under chapter 291D and shall be fined not less than $250 nor more than $500.

(c) A person using the access aisle adjacent to the parking space reserved for persons with disabilities to park their vehicle shall be guilty of a traffic infraction under chapter 291D and shall be fined not less than $250 nor more than $500."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________