Sponsored by:
Senator ANTHONY R. BUCCO
District 25 (Morris)
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes handicapped parking privileges for certain healthcare workers transporting handicapped persons.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning handicapped parking, amending P.L.1977, c.202 and supplementing chapter 4 of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) The term "transporting healthcare worker" as used in this act shall mean a person who is employed to care for a handicapped person and is required to transport a handicapped person in the course of employment as certified by a healthcare entity as defined in section 9 of P.L.2001, c.83 (C.45:1-34).
2. Section 1 of P.L.1977, c.202 (C.39:4-197.5) is amended to read as follows:
1. Any municipality may, by ordinance, resolution or regulation, establish restricted parking spaces in front of residences, schools, hospitals and other public buildings and in shopping and business districts for use by persons who have been issued special vehicle identification cards by the [Division of Motor Vehicles] Motor Vehicle Commission pursuant to the provisions of section 2 of P.L.1949, c. 280 (C. 39:4-205), or P.L. , c. C. (pending before the Legislature as this bill) when using a motor vehicle on which is displayed a certificate, for which a placard or a special vehicle identification card has been issued [, pursuant to section 3 of said law (C.39:4-206)].
(cf: P.L.1980, c.178, s.2)
3. (New section) a. The chief administrator of the commission shall issue to a qualified transporting healthcare worker a placard of such size and design as to be determined by the chief administrator indicating that the operator of the car is a transporting healthcare worker. The placard shall enable the holder to park in a space designated for the handicapped while transporting a handicapped person.
b. The placard shall be valid for one year from the date of issue and may be renewed indefinitely provided that the applicant continues to work as a transporting health care worker.
c. The holder of a placard issued pursuant to this subsection must relinquish the placard upon termination of employment as a transporting healthcare worker.
d. A placard holder who uses
the placard to park in a handicapped space other then when transporting a handicapped
person shall be subject to a fine of $50 and shall have the placard permanently
revoked.
4. This act shall take effect on the first day of the eight month after enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill directs the Motor Vehicle Commission to create and issue a placard to enable transporting healthcare workers to park in handicapped spaces when transporting a handicapped person. The bill defines transporting healthcare worker as a person who is employed to care for a handicapped person and is required to transport a handicapped person in the course of employment. Under the provisions of this bill, the placard would be valid for one year, but would be renewable for as long as the holder continued work as a transporting healthcare worker. The placard must be relinquished upon termination of employment as a transporting healthcare worker.
Improper use of the placard would result in a fine of $50 and permanent revocation of the placard.