SB964: Bill Text

LRB-5570/1

ZDW:cdc

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

2023 Senate BILL 964

January 26, 2024 - Introduced by Senators Ballweg, Cowles and Testin, cosponsored by Representatives Tittl, Behnke, Conley, Dittrich, Murphy, Myers, Sinicki, Snodgrass, Stubbs, Subeck and Wichgers. Referred to Committee on Transportation and Local Government.

SB964,1,4 An Act to amend 341.14 (1a), 341.14 (1e) (a), 341.14 (1m), 341.14 (1q), 343.51 (1) and 343.62 (4) (a) 4. of the statutes; relating to: authorizing physical therapists to make certifications for acquiring disabled parking plates and cards.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill authorizes physical therapists to certify to the Department of Transportation information necessary for a person to acquire a disabled parking plate or card.

Under current law, a person with a disability that limits or impairs the ability to walk may apply for and obtain from DOT special motor vehicle registration plates or a special identification card entitling a motor vehicle used by the person to certain parking privileges, including parking in spaces reserved for such vehicles. An application for the special plate or card must contain required information from a licensed physician, advanced practice nurse, public health nurse, physician assistant, podiatrist, chiropractor, Christian Science practitioner, or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB964,1 Section 1. 341.14 (1a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB964,2,20 341.14 (1a) If any resident of this state, who is registering or has registered an automobile, or a motor truck, dual purpose motor home or dual purpose farm truck which has a gross weight of not more than 8,000 pounds, a farm truck which has a gross weight of not more than 12,000 pounds or a motor home, submits a statement once every 4 years, as determined by the department, from a physician licensed to practice medicine in any state, from an advanced practice nurse licensed to practice nursing in any state, from a public health nurse certified or licensed to practice in any state, from a physician assistant licensed or certified to practice in any state, from a podiatrist licensed to practice in any state, from a chiropractor licensed to practice chiropractic in any state, from a physical therapist licensed to practice in any state, or from a Christian Science practitioner residing in this state and listed in the Christian Science journal certifying to the department that the resident is a person with a disability that limits or impairs the ability to walk, the department shall procure, issue and deliver to the disabled person plates of a special design in lieu of plates which ordinarily would be issued for the vehicle, and shall renew the plates. The plates shall be so designed as to readily apprise law enforcement officers of the fact that the vehicle is owned by a nonveteran disabled person and is entitled to the parking privileges specified in s. 346.50 (2a). No charge in addition to the registration fee shall be made for the issuance or renewal of such plates.

SB964,2 Section 2. 341.14 (1e) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB964,3,17 341.14 (1e) (a) If any resident of this state, who is registering or has registered a motorcycle, submits a statement once every 4 years, as determined by the department, from a physician licensed to practice medicine in any state, from an advanced practice nurse licensed to practice nursing in any state, from a public health nurse certified or licensed to practice in any state, from a physician assistant licensed or certified to practice in any state, from a podiatrist licensed to practice in any state, from a chiropractor licensed to practice chiropractic in any state, from a physical therapist licensed to practice in any state, from a Christian Science practitioner residing in this state and listed in the Christian Science journal, or from the U.S. department of veterans affairs certifying to the department that the resident is a person with a disability that limits or impairs the ability to walk, the department shall procure, issue and deliver to the disabled person a plate of a special design in lieu of the plate which ordinarily would be issued for the motorcycle, and shall renew the plate. The statement shall state whether the disability is permanent or temporary and, if temporary, the opinion of the physician, advanced practice nurse, public health nurse, physician assistant, podiatrist, physical therapist, chiropractor, practitioner, or U.S. department of veterans affairs as to the duration of the disability. The plate shall be so designed as to readily apprise law enforcement officers of the fact that the motorcycle is owned by a disabled person and is entitled to the parking privileges specified in s. 346.50 (2a). No charge in addition to the registration fee may be made for the issuance or renewal of the plate.

SB964,3 Section 3. 341.14 (1m) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB964,4,13 341.14 (1m) If any licensed driver submits to the department a statement once every 4 years, as determined by the department, from a physician licensed to practice medicine in any state, from a public health nurse certified or licensed to practice in any state, from an advanced practice nurse licensed to practice nursing in any state, from a physician assistant licensed or certified to practice in any state, from a podiatrist licensed to practice in any state, from a chiropractor licensed to practice chiropractic in any state, from a physical therapist licensed to practice in any state, or from a Christian Science practitioner residing in this state and listed in the Christian Science journal certifying that another person who is regularly dependent on the licensed driver for transportation is a person with a disability that limits or impairs the ability to walk, the department shall issue and deliver to the licensed driver plates of a special design in lieu of the plates which ordinarily would be issued for the automobile or motor truck, dual purpose motor home or dual purpose farm truck having a gross weight of not more than 8,000 pounds, farm truck having a gross weight of not more than 12,000 pounds or motor home, and shall renew the plates. The plates shall be so designed as to readily apprise law enforcement officers of the fact that the vehicle is operated by a licensed driver on whom a disabled person is regularly dependent and is entitled to the parking privileges specified in s. 346.50 (2a). No charge in addition to the registration fee may be made for the issuance or renewal of the plates. The plates shall conform to the plates required in sub. (1a).

SB964,4 Section 4. 341.14 (1q) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB964,5,9 341.14 (1q) If any employer who provides an automobile, or a motor truck, dual purpose motor home or dual purpose farm truck which has a gross weight of not more than 8,000 pounds, a farm truck which has a gross weight of not more than 12,000 pounds or a motor home, for an employee's use submits to the department a statement once every 4 years, as determined by the department, from a physician licensed to practice medicine in any state, from an advanced practice nurse licensed to practice nursing in any state, from a public health nurse certified or licensed to practice in any state, from a physician assistant licensed or certified to practice in any state, from a podiatrist licensed to practice in any state, from a physical therapist licensed to practice in any state, from a chiropractor licensed to practice chiropractic in any state, or from a Christian Science practitioner residing in this state and listed in the Christian Science journal certifying that the employee is a person with a disability that limits or impairs the ability to walk, the department shall issue and deliver to such employer plates of a special design in lieu of the plates which ordinarily would be issued for the vehicle, and shall renew the plates. The plates shall be so designed as to readily apprise law enforcement officers of the fact that the vehicle is operated by a disabled person and is entitled to the parking privileges specified in s. 346.50 (2a). No charge in addition to the registration fee may be made for the issuance or renewal of the plates. The plates shall conform to the plates required in sub. (1a).

SB964,5 Section 5. 343.51 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB964,6,8 343.51 (1) Any person who qualifies for registration plates of a special design under s. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1m), or (1q) or any other person with a disability that limits or impairs the ability to walk may request from the department a special identification card that will entitle any motor vehicle parked by, or under the direction of, the person, or a motor vehicle operated by or on behalf of the organization when used to transport such a person, to parking privileges under s. 346.50 (2), (2a), and (3). The department shall issue the card at a fee to be determined by the department, upon submission by the applicant, if the applicant is an individual rather than an organization, of a statement from a physician licensed to practice medicine in any state, from an advanced practice nurse licensed to practice nursing in any state, from a public health nurse certified or licensed to practice in any state, from a physician assistant licensed or certified to practice in any state, from a podiatrist licensed to practice in any state, from a chiropractor licensed to practice chiropractic in any state, from a physical therapist licensed to practice in any state, or from a Christian Science practitioner residing in this state and listed in the Christian Science journal that the person is a person with a disability that limits or impairs the ability to walk. The statement shall state whether the disability is permanent or temporary and, if temporary, the opinion of the physician, advanced practice nurse, public health nurse, physician assistant, podiatrist, physical therapist, chiropractor, or practitioner as to the duration of the disability. The department shall issue the card upon application by an organization on a form prescribed by the department if the department believes that the organization meets the requirements under this subsection.

SB964,6 Section 6. 343.62 (4) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB964,6,18 343.62 (4) (a) 4. The applicant submits with the application a statement completed within the immediately preceding 24 months, except as provided by rule, by a physician licensed to practice medicine in any state, from an advanced practice nurse licensed to practice nursing in any state, from a physician assistant licensed or certified to practice in any state, from a podiatrist licensed to practice in any state, from a chiropractor licensed to practice chiropractic in any state, from a physical therapist licensed to practice in any state, or from a Christian Science practitioner residing in this state, and listed in the Christian Science journal certifying that, in the medical care provider's judgment, the applicant is physically fit to teach driving.

SB964,6,19 (End)