This bill amends the Code of West Virginia to strengthen regulations regarding designated accessible parking for individuals with mobility impairments. It raises penalties for illegal parking, stopping, or blocking access to these spaces, increasing fines for fraudulent placards from $500 to $750 and for identification cards from $700 to $1,000. The legislation also establishes a public awareness program to educate citizens about the laws and penalties related to accessible parking. Furthermore, it outlines qualifications for obtaining special registration plates or removable windshield placards, which must be certified by a licensed medical professional, and mandates compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act for accessible parking spaces.

Additionally, the bill allows law enforcement agencies to utilize trained volunteers to monitor and report violations, enhancing enforcement of accessible parking regulations. It requires that these agencies provide workers' compensation and liability coverage for volunteers, who will document violations through photographs and detailed reports. Local authorities adopting these provisions will retain collected fines to fund related initiatives or deposit them into their General Revenue Fund. The bill also tasks the commissioner with creating educational materials about the laws and penalties associated with accessible parking violations and includes a provision for proposing rules for legislative approval to ensure effective implementation and enforcement of the new measures.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 17C-13-6