Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #:     CS/HB 1029 Purple Heart Recipient Parking Spaces
SPONSOR(S): Tourism, Infrastructure & Energy Subcommittee, Barnaby and others
TIED BILLS:       IDEN./SIM. BILLS: SB 1320
  REFERENCE                                                        ACTION                   ANALYST                STAFF DIRECTOR or
                                                                                                                   BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
  1) Tourism, Infrastructure & Energy Subcommittee                 15 Y, 0 N, As CS         Johnson                Keating
  2) Local Administration & Veterans Affairs
     Subcommittee
  3) Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations
     Subcommittee
  4) Commerce Committee
                                                         SUMMARY ANALYSIS
The Purple Heart medal is presented to service members who have been wounded or killed as a result of
enemy action while serving in the U.S. military.
Around the United States parking spaces are being created in parking lots, which are reserved for combat
injured veterans. While not officially reserved or protected, these spaces are designed to honor those who
were wounded in combat.
The bill authorizes each state agency or political subdivision having jurisdiction over street parking or publicly
owned or operated parking facilities to designate Purple Heart recipient parking spaces. Each designated
parking space must be designed in a manner that is consistent with the standards of the controlling jurisdiction
for other parking spaces, except that it may be outlined in purple paint or posted with a sign identifying the
parking space as a Purple Heart recipient parking space.
The bill does not impact state or local government revenues or expenditures. A government entity may
voluntarily designate parking spaces for Purple Heart recipients, thus any expenditures associated with
creating those spaces are within the control of the governmental entity.
The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2021.
This document does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives .
STORAGE NAME: h1029.TIE
DATE: 4/1/2021
                                                       FULL ANALYSIS
                                               I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
    A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
        Current Situation
        The Purple Heart medal is presented to service members who while serving in the U.S. military have
        been wounded or killed as a result of enemy action. A Purple Heart is a solemn distinction and means a
        service member has greatly sacrificed themselves, or paid the ultimate price, while in the line of duty.1
        According to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, more than 1.8 million Purple Heart medals have
        been presented to service members since the award was created in 1782.2
        Around the United States, purple parking spaces are being created for combat injured veterans. While
        not officially reserved or protected, the spaces are designed to honor those who were wounded in
        combat.3
        Currently, there is nothing in state law regarding Purple Heart recipient parking spaces.
        Effect of the Bill
        The bill creates s. 316.1968, F.S., authorizing each state agency or political subdivision having
        jurisdiction over street parking or publicly-owned or operated parking facilities to designate parking
        spaces as Purple Heart recipient parking spaces. Each designated parking space must be designed in
        a manner that is consistent with the standards of the controlling jurisdiction for other parking spaces,
        except that it may be prominently outlined in purple paint or posted with an above-grade sign identifying
        the parking space as a Purple Heart recipient parking space. Use of these spaces would operate on an
        honor system.
        The bill has an effective date of July 1, 2021.
    B. SECTION DIRECTORY:
        Section 1 Creates s. 316.1968, F.S., relating to Purple Heart recipient parking spaces.
        Section 2 Provide an effective date of July, 1, 2021.
                            II. FISCAL ANALYSIS & ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT
    A. FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE GOVERNMENT:
        1. Revenues:
             None.
        2. Expenditures:
             None.
1
  USO, 8 Things You Need to Know about the Purple Heart Medal, August 3, 2020, https://www.uso.org/stories/2276-8-purple-heart-
facts (last visited March 26, 2021).
2
  Id.
3
  The Veteran Site, Purple Parking Spots are Great News for Veterans, https://blog.theveteranssite.greatergood.com/veteran-parking-
spots/#:~:text=Spearheaded%20by%20the%20Wounded%20Warriors,in%20combat%20for%20their%20country. (last visited March
26, 2021).
STORAGE NAME: h1029.TIE                                                                                                     PAGE: 2
DATE: 4/1/2021
   B. FISCAL IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
       1. Revenues:
           None.
       2. Expenditures:
           None. A government entity may voluntarily designate parking spaces for Purple Heart recipients,
           thus any expenditures associated with creating those spaces are within the control of the
           governmental entity.
   C. DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT ON PRIVATE SECTOR:
       None.
   D. FISCAL COMMENTS:
       None.
                                                III. COMMENTS
   A. CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES:
       1. Applicability of Municipality/County Mandates Provision:
          Not applicable. This bill does not appear to require counties or municipalities to spend funds or take
          action requiring the expenditures of funds, reduce the authority that counties or municipalities have
          to raise revenues in the aggregate; or reduce the percentage of state tax shared with counties or
          municipalities.
       2. Other:
          None.
   B. RULE-MAKING AUTHORITY:
       The bill does not provide a grant of rulemaking, nor does it require rulemaking.
   C. DRAFTING ISSUES OR OTHER COMMENTS:
       None.
                          IV. AMENDMENTS/ COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE CHANGES
   On April 1, 2021, the Tourism, Infrastructure & Energy Subcommittee adopted a proposed committee
   substitute and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute. The bill as originally filed defined the
   term “Purple Heart recipient parking space” and made it unlawful for persons to park in a Purple Heart
   recipient parking space without a Purple Heart parking permit or Purple Heart license plate and provided
   penalties for doing so. The bill also created the Purple Heart parking permit. The committee substitute
   authorizes each state agency or political subdivision having jurisdiction over street parking or publicly-
   owned or operated parking facilities to designate parking spaces for Purple Heart recipients, and
   establishes guidelines for the identification of such spaces. The committee substitute does not provide for
   enforcement of the use of the parking spaces.
   This analysis is drafted to the committee substitute as approved by the Tourism, Infrastructure & Energy
   Subcommittee.
STORAGE NAME: h1029.TIE                                                                                     PAGE: 3
DATE: 4/1/2021
Statutes affected: 
H 1029 Filed: 316.1967, 320.089, 316.1951, 316.622, 318.121, 395.4036