Connecticut 2023 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00995 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

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7		-	General Assembly ~~Substitute~~ Bill No. 995
	5	+	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 995
8	6		January Session, 2023
	7	+	LCO No. 3996
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	9	+
	10	+	Referred to Committee on TRANSPORTATION
	11	+
	12	+
	13	+	Introduced by:
	14	+	(TRA)
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14	19		AN ACT CONCERNING REMOVABLE WINDSHIELD PLACARDS FOR
15	20		PERSONS WHO ARE BLIND AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
16	21		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
17	22		Assembly convened:
18	23
19	24		Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 14-253a of the general statutes is 1
20		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 2
21		-	~~October~~ 1, 2023): 3
	25	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 2
	26	+	1, 2023): 3
22	27		(a) For the purposes of this section: 4
23		-	(1) "Special license plate" means a license plate displaying the 5
24		-	symbol of access in a size identical to that of the letters or numerals on 6
25		-	the plate and in a color that contrasts with the background color of the 7
26		-	plate; 8
27		-	(2) "Removable windshield placard" means a two-sided, hanger-9
28		-	style placard which bears on both of its sides: (A) The symbol of access 10
29		-	in a height of three inches or more centered on such placard and 11
30		-	colored white on a blue background; (B) a unique identification 12
31		-	number; (C) a date of expiration; [and] (D) a statement indicating that 13
32		-	the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles issued such placard; 14
33		-	and (E) the words "Accessibility Parking Permit"; 15
34		-	(3) "Temporary removable windshield placard" means a placard 16
35		-	that is the same as a removable windshield placard except that the 17 Substitute Bill No. 995
	28	+	(1) "Special license plate" means a license plate displaying the symbol 5
	29	+	of access in a size identical to that of the letters or numerals on the plate 6
	30	+	and in a color that contrasts with the background color of the plate; 7
	31	+	(2) "Removable windshield placard" means a two-sided, hanger-style 8
	32	+	placard which bears on both of its sides: (A) The symbol of access in a 9
	33	+	height of three inches or more centered on such placard and colored 10
	34	+	white on a blue background; (B) a unique identification number; (C) a 11
	35	+	date of expiration; [and] (D) a statement indicating that the Connecticut 12
	36	+	Department of Motor Vehicles issued such placard; and (E) the words 13
	37	+	"Accessibility Parking Permit"; 14 Raised Bill No. 995
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42		-	symbol of access appears on a red background; 18
43		-	(4) "Person with disabilities" means a person with disabilities which 19
44		-	limit or impair the ability to walk, as defined in 23 CFR Section 1235.2; 20
45		-	and 21
46		-	(5) "Symbol of access" means the symbol designated by the 22
47		-	Commissioner of Administrative Services pursuant to section 29-269b 23
48		-	used to indicate access for persons with disabilities. 24
49		-	Sec. 2. Subsection (d) of section 14-253a of the general statutes is 25
50		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 26
51		-	October 1, 2023): 27
52		-	(d) (1) Any placard issued pursuant to this section shall be 28
53		-	displayed by hanging it from the front windshield rearview mirror of 29
54		-	the vehicle when utilizing a parking space reserved for persons who 30
55		-	are blind and persons with disabilities. If there is no rearview mirror in 31
56		-	such vehicle, the placard shall be displayed in clear view on the 32
57		-	dashboard of such vehicle. 33
58		-	(2) On and after October 1, 2023, any placard issued pursuant to this 34
59		-	section shall not bear the words "parking permit for persons with 35
60		-	disabilities". Any placard issued prior to October 1, 2023, that is 36
61		-	otherwise valid, shall remain valid, according to its terms, until the 37
62		-	expiration of such placard. 38
63		-	Sec. 3. Subsection (o) of section 14-253a of the general statutes is 39
64		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 40
65		-	October 1, 2023): 41
66		-	(o) The commissioner shall [periodically] check the Department of 42
67		-	Public Health's state registration of deaths on a monthly basis and 43
68		-	shall cancel any placard issued to an individual identified in such 44
69		-	registry as deceased. 45
70		-	Sec. 4. (Effective from passage) (a) Not later than August 1, 2023, the 46 Substitute Bill No. 995
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	42	+
	43	+	(3) "Temporary removable windshield placard" means a placard that 15
	44	+	is the same as a removable windshield placard except that the symbol 16
	45	+	of access appears on a red background; 17
	46	+	(4) "Person with disabilities" means a person with disabilities which 18
	47	+	limit or impair the ability to walk, as defined in 23 CFR Section 1235.2; 19
	48	+	and 20
	49	+	(5) "Symbol of access" means the symbol designated by the 21
	50	+	Commissioner of Administrative Services pursuant to section 29-269b 22
	51	+	used to indicate access for persons with disabilities. 23
	52	+	Sec. 2. Subsection (d) of section 14-253a of the general statutes is 24
	53	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 25
	54	+	1, 2023): 26
	55	+	(d) (1) Any placard issued pursuant to this section shall be displayed 27
	56	+	by hanging it from the front windshield rearview mirror of the vehicle 28
	57	+	when utilizing a parking space reserved for persons who are blind and 29
	58	+	persons with disabilities. If there is no rearview mirror in such vehicle, 30
	59	+	the placard shall be displayed in clear view on the dashboard of such 31
	60	+	vehicle. 32
	61	+	(2) On and after October 1, 2023, any placard issued pursuant to this 33
	62	+	section shall not bear the words "parking permit for persons with 34
	63	+	disabilities". Any placard issued prior to October 1, 2023, that is 35
	64	+	otherwise valid, shall remain valid, according to its terms until the 36
	65	+	expiration of such placard. 37
	66	+	Sec. 3. Subsection (o) of section 14-253a of the general statutes is 38
	67	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 39
	68	+	1, 2023): 40
	69	+	(o) The commissioner shall [periodically] check the Department of 41
	70	+	Public Health's state registration of deaths at least twice a year and shall 42
	71	+	cancel any placard issued to an individual identified in such registry as 43
	72	+	deceased. 44 Raised Bill No. 995
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77		-	Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and the Deputy Commissioner of 47
78		-	Emergency Services and Public Protection with jurisdiction over the 48
79		-	Division of State Police shall jointly convene a working group to: (1) 49
80		-	Review the laws in other states concerning the issuance and use of 50
81		-	removable windshield placards for persons who are blind and persons 51
82		-	with disabilities, (2) recommend best practices for policies and 52
83		-	regulations regarding the application for, and issuance and use of, 53
84		-	removable windshield placards, (3) make educational materials 54
85		-	available to medical professionals, law enforcement officers and the 55
86		-	general public regarding the proper issuance and use of such 56
87		-	removable windshield placards, and (4) review the status of such 57
88		-	removable windshield placards issued to persons who are blind and 58
89		-	persons with disabilities prior to January 1, 2010, for the lifetime of 59
90		-	such persons. 60
91		-	(b) The working group shall be comprised of (1) the Commissioner 61
92		-	of Motor Vehicles, or the commissioner's designee, (2) the Deputy 62
93		-	Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection with 63
94		-	jurisdiction over the Division of State Police, or the deputy 64
95		-	commissioner's designee, (3) two or more licensed physicians, 65
96		-	physician assistants or advanced practice registered nurses who certify 66
97		-	applications for removable windshield placards while in the course of 67
98		-	employment, (4) two or more sworn members of a municipal police 68
99		-	department, and (5) any other person invited by the commissioner and 69
100		-	deputy commissioner to be a member of the working group. 70
101		-	(c) Not later than January 1, 2024, the working group shall submit a 71
102		-	report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general 72
103		-	statutes, regarding the findings of the working group, the education 73
104		-	materials developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section and any 74
105		-	recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General 75
106		-	Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation. The 76
107		-	working group shall terminate on the date that it submits such report 77
108		-	or January 1, 2024, whichever is later. 78 Substitute Bill No. 995
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	77	+
	78	+	Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a 45
	79	+	Removable Windshield Placard Advisory Council that shall be within 46
	80	+	the Department of Motor Vehicles for administrative purposes only. The 47
	81	+	advisory council shall, at least annually, (1) review the laws in other 48
	82	+	states concerning the issuance and use of removable windshield 49
	83	+	placards for persons who are blind and persons with disabilities, (2) 50
	84	+	recommend best practices to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles for 51
	85	+	clear and concise policies and regulations regarding the issuance and 52
	86	+	use of removable windshield placards pursuant to section 14-253a of the 53
	87	+	general statutes, and (3) make educational materials available to 54
	88	+	medical professionals, law enforcement officers and the general public 55
	89	+	regarding the proper issuance and use of such removable windshield 56
	90	+	placards. 57
	91	+	(b) The advisory council shall consist of nine members, appointed as 58
	92	+	follows: (1) Five appointed by the Governor; (2) one jointly appointed 59
	93	+	by the speaker and majority leader of the House of Representatives; (3) 60
	94	+	one jointly appointed by the president pro tempore and majority leader 61
	95	+	of the Senate; (4) one appointed by the minority leader of the House of 62
	96	+	Representatives; and (5) one appointed by the minority leader of the 63
	97	+	Senate. 64
	98	+	(c) All initial appointments to the advisory council shall be made not 65
	99	+	later than August 1, 2023. The term of each member of the advisory 66
	100	+	council shall be two years. Any vacancy shall be filled for the remainder 67
	101	+	of the term in the same manner as the original appointment. 68
	102	+	(d) The Governor shall designate the chairperson of the advisory 69
	103	+	council from among the members. The advisory council shall meet at 70
	104	+	least annually and at such other times as the chairperson deems 71
	105	+	necessary or upon the request of a majority of the members. Members 72
	106	+	shall serve without compensation. 73
	107	+	(e) On or before January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the advisory 74
	108	+	council shall submit a report on its activities and any recommendations 75
	109	+	to the Governor and the joint standing committee of the General 76 Raised Bill No. 995
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	115	+	Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation, in 77
	116	+	accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. 78
115	117		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
116	118		sections:
117	119
118	120		Section 1 October 1, 2023 14-253a(a)
119	121		Sec. 2 October 1, 2023 14-253a(d)
120	122		Sec. 3 October 1, 2023 14-253a(o)
121	123		Sec. 4 from passage New section
122	124
123		-	TRA Joint Favorable Subst.
	125	+	Statement of Purpose:
	126	+	To (1) require a removable windshield placard to bear the words
	127	+	"Accessibility Parking Permit", (2) require the Commissioner of Motor
	128	+	Vehicles to check the state registration of deaths twice a year, and (3)
	129	+	establish a Removable Windshield Placard Advisory Council.
	130	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	131	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	132	+	underlined.]
124	133