Bill Text: VA HB1084 | 2024 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Disabled parking placards; extends validity, eliminates fees.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-04-04 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0411) [HB1084 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HB1084-Chaptered.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §46.2-1241 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§46.2-1241. Issuance of disabled parking placards.
A. Upon application of a person with a disability that limits or impairs his ability to walk or that creates a concern for his safety while walking, the Commissioner shall issue a permanent removable windshield placard for use on a passenger car or pickup or panel truck. The Commissioner shall require that each original application be accompanied by a certification signed by a licensed physician, licensed podiatrist, licensed chiropractor, licensed advanced practice registered nurse, or licensed physician assistant on forms prescribed by the Commissioner that the applicant meets the definition of "person with a disability that limits or impairs his ability to walk or that creates a concern for his safety while walking" contained in § 46.2-1240.
1. The Commissioner shall provide for the renewal of such placards every five years. Applications for renewals may require the applicant to certify that his disability is a permanent disability, but renewal applications need not be accompanied by a physician's, a podiatrist's, a chiropractor's, an advanced practice registered nurse's, or a physician assistant's certification of the applicant's disability. The Commissioner shall work in consultation with the Medical Advisory Board for the Department to develop a definition of "permanent disability" as used in this subdivision. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this chapter, no physician's, podiatrist's, chiropractor's, advanced practice registered nurse's, or physician assistant's certification of an applicant's disability shall be required for the renewal of any disabled parking placard of an applicant to whom disabled parking license plates have been issued under §46.2-731.
2. The Commissioner shall charge a reasonable fee for each
placard, but no fee shall be charged any person exempted from fees in §
46.2-739.
3. The placards shall be of a design approved by the
Commissioner pursuant to the specifications and definitions contained in §
46.2-1240.
B. Upon the application of a person with a disability that
limits or impairs his ability to walk or creates a concern for his safety
while walking and whose disability is temporary, the Commissioner shall
issue a temporary removable windshield placard. The application for a temporary
removable windshield placard shall be accompanied by a certification signed by
a licensed physician, an advanced practice registered nurse, a physician
assistant, a podiatrist, or a chiropractor on forms prescribed by the Commissioner
that the applicant meets the definition of "person with a condition that
limits or impairs his ability to walk or creates a concern for his safety
while walking" contained in §46.2-1240 and shall also include the
period of time that the physician, podiatrist, or chiropractor determines the
applicant will have the disability, not to exceed six 12 months.
1. A licensed physician, an advanced practice registered
nurse, a physician assistant, a podiatrist, or a chiropractor may certify up to
15 days in advance of an applicant's medical procedure that an applicant will
meet the definition of "person with a condition that limits or impairs his
ability to walk or creates a concern for his safety while walking"
and that the disability will be temporary. Any licensed physician, advanced
practice registered nurse, physician assistant, podiatrist, or chiropractor who
certifies an applicant's disability in advance of a medical procedure shall
provide the period of time for which the physician, advanced practice
registered nurse, physician assistant, podiatrist, or chiropractor has
determined that the applicant will have the disability, not to exceed six
12 months. The Commissioner will mail the temporary placard to the
applicant.
2. The temporary removable windshield placard shall be valid
for the period of time for which the physician, podiatrist, or chiropractor has
determined that the applicant will have the disability, not to exceed six
12 months from the date of issuance.
3. The Commissioner shall provide for a reasonable fee to
be charged for the placard. The placards shall be of a design approved by
the Commissioner pursuant to the specifications and definitions contained in §
46.2-1240.
C. On application, the Commissioner shall issue to hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, and other institutions and organizations meeting criteria determined by the Commissioner organizational removable windshield placards, as provided for in the foregoing provisions of this section, for use by volunteers when transporting disabled persons in passenger vehicles and pickup or panel trucks owned by such volunteers. The provisions of this section relating to other windshield placards issued under this section shall also apply, mutatis mutandis, to windshield placards issued to these institutions and organizations, except that windshield placards issued to institutions and agencies, in addition to their expiration date, shall bear the name of the institution or organization whose volunteers will be using the windshield placards rather than the name, age, and sex of the person to whom issued.
1. The Commissioner shall provide for the renewal of such placards every five years.
2. The placards shall be of a design approved by the Commissioner pursuant to the specifications and definitions contained in § 46.2-1240.
D. No person shall use or display an organizational removable windshield placard, permanent removable windshield placard or temporary removable windshield placard beyond its expiration date.
E. Organizational removable windshield placards, permanent removable windshield placards and temporary removable windshield placards shall be displayed in such a manner that they may be viewed from the front and rear of the vehicle and be hanging from the rearview mirror of a vehicle utilizing a parking space reserved for persons with disabilities that limit or impair their ability to walk or create a concern for their safety while walking. When there is no rearview mirror, the placard shall be displayed on the vehicle's dashboard. No placard shall be displayed from the rearview mirror while a vehicle is in motion.
