PRINTER'S NO. 1134
No. 1031 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY CORRIGAN, BELARDI AND McGEEHAN, MARCH 19, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MARCH 19, 1997
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2 Statutes, authorizing vehicles having POW registration plates
3 to park in areas reserved for handicapped persons.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Section 3354(d) and (e) of Title 75 of the
7 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
8 § 3354. Additional parking regulations.
9 * * *
10 (d) Handicapped persons and disabled veterans.--
11 (1) When a motor vehicle bearing a handicapped [or],
12 severely disabled veteran or prisoner of war plate or
13 displaying a handicapped or severely disabled veteran parking
14 placard as prescribed in this title is being operated by or
15 for the transportation of the handicapped person [or],
16 severely disabled veteran or ex-prisoner of war, the driver
17 shall be relieved of any liability for parking for a period
18 of 60 minutes in excess of the legal parking period permitted
1 by local authorities except where local ordinances or police
2 regulations provide for the accommodation of heavy traffic
3 during morning, afternoon or evening hours.
4 (2) At the request of any handicapped person [or],
5 severely disabled veteran or ex-prisoner of war, local
6 authorities may erect on the highway as close as possible to
7 their place of residence a sign or signs indicating that that
8 place is reserved for the handicapped person [or], severely
9 disabled veteran or ex-prisoner of war, that no parking is
10 allowed there by others, and that any unauthorized person
11 parking there shall be subject to a fine.
12 (3) (i) Except for persons parking vehicles lawfully
13 bearing a handicapped [or], severely disabled veteran or
14 prisoner of war registration plate or displaying a
15 handicapped or severely disabled veteran parking placard
16 when such vehicles are being operated by or for the
17 transportation of a handicapped person [or], a severely
18 disabled veteran or an ex-prisoner of war, no person
19 shall park a vehicle on public or private property
20 reserved for a handicapped person [or], severely disabled
21 veteran or an ex-prisoner of war which property has been
22 so posted in accordance with departmental regulations
23 which shall require a sign stating the penalty amount
24 indicated in subsection (f), a sign indicating that
25 vehicles in violation of the subsection may be towed and
26 require that signs be replaced when they become either
27 obsolete or missing with all costs to replace the
28 necessary signs to be borne by the persons responsible
29 for signing the particular location. Any vehicle which is
30 unlawfully parked in a designated handicapped parking
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1 area may be removed from that area by towing and may be
2 reclaimed by the vehicle owner upon payment of the towing
3 costs.
4 (ii) Local authorities shall have the power and may,
5 by ordinance or resolution, authorize handicapped persons
6 [and], severely disabled veterans and ex-prisoners of war
7 to issue statements to violators or violating vehicles
8 for violation of subparagraph (i). The form of the
9 statement shall be as prescribed by the local
10 authorities.
11 (e) Unauthorized use.--An operator of a vehicle bearing a
12 handicapped [or], severely disabled veteran or a prisoner of war
13 plate or displaying a handicapped or severely disabled veteran
14 parking placard shall not make use of the parking privileges
15 accorded to handicapped persons [and], severely disabled
16 veterans and ex-prisoners of war under subsection (d)(3) unless
17 the operator is handicapped or a severely disabled veteran or
18 unless the vehicle is being operated for the transportation of a
19 handicapped person [or], severely disabled veteran or an ex-
20 prisoner of war.
21 * * *
22 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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