Bill Text: HI HB2574 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Parking for Disabled Persons

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-12 - (H) Report adopted. referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting no and Representative(s) Bertram, Cabanilla, Takumi excused. [HB2574 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-HB2574-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  315-10

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2574

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

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. 2574, H.D. 1, 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 specific references 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.

 

     The Department of Health and Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs testified in support of this bill.  The State Council on Developmental Disabilities and Department of Customer Services of the City and County of Honolulu (DCS) supported the intent of this measure.

 

     DCAB currently administers and has 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 the 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 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 to clarify that the State shall reimburse the counties for issuing the removable and temporary removable windshield placards, license plates, and identification cards on the State's behalf.

 

     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. 2574, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2574, H.D. 2.

 

 

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

 

 

		____________________________ JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair