Bill Text: HI HB1860 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Parking for Disabled Persons

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-02 - (H) Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on HLT with none voting no (0) and Representative(s) McKelvey, Pine, Tokioka excused (3). [HB1860 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-HB1860-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  25-10

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1860

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 1860 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PARKING FOR DISABLED PERSONS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to improve the administration of the parking program for persons with disabilities by, among other things:

 

     (1)  Designating the Disability and Communication Access Board (DCAB) as the issuing agency for removable windshield placards, temporary removable windshield placards, special license plates, and identification cards;

 

     (2)  Removing the specific reference to the counties as the issuing agency while maintaining DCAB's flexibility to contract with the counties to issue removable windshield placards, temporary removable windshield placards, special license plates, and identification cards on DCAB's behalf;

 

     (3)  Allowing counties to retain any transaction fees charged for the issuance of placards, license plates, and identification cards;

 

     (4)  Extending the expiration date of removable windshield placards from four to six years;

 

     (5)  Providing for the issuance of a second removable windshield placard or temporary removable windshield placard upon request of the applicant; and

 

     (6)  Removing the reimbursement rate to the counties from statute and placing it into administrative rules.

 

     DCAB and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The State Council on Developmental Disabilities supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Customer Services (DCS) of the City and County of Honolulu supported this measure in part and opposed this measure in part.

 

     DCAB currently administers, and has the overall responsibility for the coordination of, the parking program for persons with disabilities.  While the counties have been issuing parking placards, license plates, and identification cards on behalf of the State, specifying that DCAB is the issuing agency for these items and may contract with the counties to provide this service on behalf of the State more accurately reflects the federal law requirements for this program.

 

     In the past, reimbursement rates to the counties for their role in the program were statutorily established and the fees counties collected for transactions in issuing placards, license plates, and identification cards were remitted to the general fund.  This measure simplifies the accounting process.

 

     Finally, your Committee finds that extending the expiration date of the removable windshield placard from four to six years will be a cost savings measure for DCAB while maintaining the integrity of the program.  This will also be beneficial to persons with disabilities in that they would have a longer period of time before having to renew their placard.

 

     However, your Committee understands the concerns raised by DCS that removal of statutory language contained in the bill may be misconstrued as eliminating the State's obligation to reimburse the counties for their services.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by inserting language to clarify that the State shall reimburse the counties for the issuance of the removable and temporary removable windshield placards, license plates, and identification cards on the State's behalf.

     Technical, nonsubstantive amendments have also been made for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1860, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1860, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Health.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,

 

 

		____________________________ JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair