Sponsored by:
Senator LATHAM TIVER
District 8 (Atlantic and Burlington)
Senator RAJ MUKHERJI
District 32 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Allows holder of disabled veteran or Purple Heart license plate or placard to park in parking spots for persons with disability.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning parking in certain designated zones and amending and supplementing P.L.1949, c.280.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1949, c.280 (C.39:4-204) is amended to read as follows:
1. The phrase "person with a disability" means:
a. any person who has lost the use of one or more limbs as a consequence of paralysis, amputation, or other permanent disability or who has a permanent disability as to be unable to ambulate without the aid of an assisting device or whose mobility is otherwise limited as certified by a physician with a plenary license to practice medicine and surgery in this State or a bordering State; a podiatrist licensed to practice in this State or a bordering state; a physician stationed at a military or naval installation located in this State who is licensed to practice in any state; a chiropractic physician licensed to practice in this State or a bordering state; a physician assistant licensed to practice in this State or a bordering state; or a nurse practitioner licensed to practice in this State or a bordering state; [or]
b. any citizen and resident of this State honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States who is adjudicated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or its successor, as being permanently 100 percent disabled; or
c. any person who has been issued a disabled veteran or Purple Heart license plate or placard by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission pursuant to the provisions of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.
(cf: P.L.2017, c.166, s.1)
2. (New section) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, a person who is a disabled veteran or a recipient of the Purple Heart may park in a parking space or zone that is restricted for use by a person with a disability provided that the person displays the persons valid, unexpired disabled veteran or Purple Heart license plate or placard, as applicable, on the motor vehicle while parked in that parking space or zone. A person who has been issued a disabled veteran or Purple Heart license plate or placards by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall not be required to obtain a person with a disability identification card and shall not be required to obtain or display any special license plates or placards issued to persons with a disability by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission in order to park in a parking space or zone pursuant to this section, provided that the person displays the persons valid, unexpired disabled veteran or Purple Heart license plate or placard, as applicable, on the motor vehicle while parked in that parking space or zone.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that a person who has been issued a disabled veteran or Purple Heart license plate or placard is to be considered a person with a disability by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. The bill further provides that any person who is a disabled veteran or recipient of the Purple Heart may park in parking spaces and zones that are restricted for persons with a disability provided that the person displays the persons unexpired disabled veteran or Purple Heart license plate or placard while parked in that parking space or zone.