PRINTER'S NO. 3038
No. 2287 Session of 1976
INTRODUCED BY MEBUS, ANDERSON, A. C. FOSTER JR. AND DORR,
APRIL 1, 1976
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, APRIL 1, 1976
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of April 29, 1959 (P.L.58, No.32), entitled "An
2 act consolidating and revising the Vehicle Code, the Tractor
3 Code, the Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Act and
4 other acts relating to the ownership, possession and use of
5 vehicles and tractors," providing for special plates for
6 persons who care for and convey by motor vehicle any
7 handicapped persons.
8 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9 hereby enacts as follows:
10 Section 1. Section 501.1, act of April 29, 1959 (P.L.58,
11 No.32), known as "The Vehicle Code," added November 10, 1965
12 (P.L.839, No.353), is amended to read:
13 Section 501.1. Special Plates for Handicapped Persons.--On
14 the application of any person who has lost the use of a leg or
15 both legs, or an arm or both arms, or any combination thereof,
16 or any person who is blind, or the person who regularly cares
17 for and conveys by his motor vehicle any such or other type of
18 handicapped person, and therefore during such times and only
19 then, needs the special parking and other similar consideration
20 granted to the hereinbefore defined handicapped persons, the
1 department shall issue such handicapped person or person caring
2 for a handicapped person special registration plates designating
3 the vehicle so licensed as belonging to a handicapped person or
4 person caring for a handicapped person. The registration plates
5 so issued shall, reading from left to right, bear a handicapped
6 insignia approved by the department and shall be followed by
7 such numbers or letters as the department finds expedient; in
8 the case of a plate issued to a person caring for a handicapped
9 person, the license shall by the letters "DHP" so distinguish
10 him. The department shall not issue registration plates so
11 designated to any person other than a handicapped person or a
12 person who regularly cares for and conveys by his motor vehicle
13 a handicapped person. The department shall not charge any fee,
14 other than the regular fee for annual registration, for the
15 issuance of such registration plates.
16 Penalty.--Any person who is not a handicapped person, as
17 prescribed in this section or who is not a person regularly
18 caring for and conveying by his motor vehicle any type of
19 handicapped person and who wilfully and falsely represents
20 himself as having the qualifications to obtain such vehicle
21 registration plates in an attempt to procure the special plates
22 prescribed by this section, shall, upon summary conviction
23 before a magistrate, be sentenced to pay a fine of fifty dollars
24 ($50.00) and costs of prosecution, and in default of the payment
25 thereof, shall undergo imprisonment for not more than ten (10)
26 days.
27 Section 2. The second paragraph of section 1021 of the act,
28 amended November 10, 1965 (P.L.839, No.353), is amended to read:
29 Section 1021. Parking Prohibited in Specified Places.--* * *
30 A further exception shall be made when a person operating a
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1 motor vehicle bearing plates issued to a handicapped person or
2 to a person who regularly cares for and conveys by his motor
3 vehicle any handicapped person as prescribed in section 501.1 of
4 this act and which motor vehicle is being operated by or for the
5 benefit of such handicapped person shall be relieved of any
6 liability with respect to parking for a period of ninety minutes
7 in excess of the legal parking period permitted by local
8 authorities except where local ordinances or police regulations
9 prohibit parking on any highway for the purpose of creating a
10 fire lane or where said ordinances or police regulations provide
11 for the accommodation of heavy traffic during morning, afternoon
12 or evening hours or where such motor vehicle is parked in such a
13 manner as to clearly be a traffic hazard.
14 Penalty.--Any person violating any of the provisions of this
15 section shall, upon summary conviction before a magistrate, be
16 sentenced to pay a fine of not less than two dollars ($2.00) nor
17 more than ten dollars ($10.00) and costs of prosecution, and, in
18 default of the payment thereof, shall undergo imprisonment for
19 not more than five (5) days.
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