AB 144 (Ma)
Distinguishing Placards and Special License Plates
July 7, 2009
Honorable Alan Lowenthal
Chair, Senate Transportation and Housing Committee
Capitol Building, Room 2032
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Senator Lowenthal:
Disability Rights California, a non-profit advocacy organization mandated to advance the human and legal rights of people with disabilities, now supports AB 144. This bill is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee on July 7, 2009.
Existing law authorizes a local authority to prohibit or restrict the parking or standing of a vehicle on streets or highways or in a disabled person’s parking space at an off street parking facility within its jurisdiction when the vehicle displays a distinguishing placard issued to a disabled person or disabled veteran, and the records of the DMV indicate that the placard has been reported as lost, stolen, surrendered, canceled, revoked, or expired, or was issued to a person who has been reported as being deceased for a period exceeding 60 days.
The law imposes specified fines on a person convicted of a first, second, third, or subsequent offense related to parking or leaving a vehicle without a distinguishing placard or special license plate in a parking space designated for disabled persons and disabled veterans, blocking access to those parking spaces.
Please contact me if you have any questions about our position on this bill.
Sincerely,
Deborah Doctor
Disability Rights California
Legislative Advocate
CC: Honorable Members, Senate Transportation and Housing Committee
CC: Honorable Fiona Ma, Author, California State Assembly
CC: Nick Hardeman, Legislative Assistant, Office of Assembly Member Ma