AB358: Bill Text

LRB-1274/4

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2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE

2015 Assembly BILL 358

September 25, 2015 - Introduced by Representatives Subeck, Ripp, Ballweg, Berceau, Bowen, E. Brooks, Brostoff, Considine, Genrich, Gannon, Heaton, Hebl, Horlacher, Johnson, Kahl, Kessler, Kitchens, Kolste, Kooyenga, Krug, Milroy, Murphy, Mursau, Ohnstad, A. Ott, Pope, Quinn, Shankland, Spreitzer, Steffen, Stuck, C. Taylor and Wachs, cosponsored by Senators Petrowski, Cowles, Bewley, Gudex, Lasee, Lassa, Miller, Olsen, Ringhand, L. Taylor, Vinehout and Wirch. Referred to Committee on Transportation.

AB358,1,2 An Act to amend 346.505 (2) (a); and to create 346.505 (4) of the statutes; relating to: parking spaces reserved for persons with physical disabilities.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill allows a taxicab to stop in a disabled parking space to load a person who has been issued a disabled parking card.

Under current law, a person with a disability that limits or impairs the ability to walk may apply for and obtain from the Department of Transportation (DOT) special motor vehicle registration plates (disabled plates) or a special identification card (disabled parking card) that affords certain parking privileges. If a motor vehicle displays disabled plates or a disabled parking card, the motor vehicle may be parked in spaces reserved for use by persons with physical disabilities (disabled parking spaces) if: 1) the motor vehicle is parked by or under the direction of the person issued the card or plates and this person is present; or 2) the motor vehicle is operated by or on behalf of an organization and is used to transport a person eligible for a disabled parking card. If a motor vehicle does not display disabled plates or a disabled parking card, it is a violation for a person to park or stop the motor vehicle in a disabled parking space.

This bill allows a taxicab operator to stop the taxicab in a disabled parking space to load a passenger who has been issued a disabled parking card if the passenger provides the disabled parking card number to the taxicab service when the passenger arranges for transportation, the passenger presents the disabled parking card to the taxicab operator when the passenger gets into the taxicab, and there is no suitable, available loading zone for loading the passenger. When the passenger gets into the taxicab, the passenger must also present to the taxicab operator a letter from DOT issued with the disabled parking card.

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

AB358,1 Section 1. 346.505 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB358,2,11 346.505 (2) (a) Except for a motor vehicle used by a physically disabled person as defined under s. 346.503 (1) and except as provided in sub. (4) (a), no person may park, stop or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended and whether temporarily or otherwise, upon any portion of a street, highway or parking facility reserved, by official traffic signs indicating the restriction, for vehicles displaying special registration plates issued under s. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1e), (1m), or (1q) or a special identification card issued under s. 343.51 or vehicles registered in another jurisdiction and displaying a registration plate, card or emblem issued by the other jurisdiction which designates the vehicle as a vehicle used by a physically disabled person.

AB358,2 Section 2. 346.505 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

AB358,2,15 346.505 (4) (a) A taxicab operator may stop the taxicab on that portion of a street, highway, or parking facility reserved, as described in sub. (2) (a), for vehicles used by persons with physical disabilities if all of the following apply:

AB358,2,17 1. The taxicab is stopped to load a passenger who has been issued a special identification card under s. 343.51.

AB358,2,20 2. At the time the passenger under subd. 1. arranged for transportation by taxicab, the passenger notified the taxicab service of the identification number appearing on the passenger's special identification card.

AB358,3,3 3. At the time the passenger under subd. 1. is loaded into the taxicab, the passenger presents to the taxicab operator the passenger's special identification card.

AB358,3,5 4. At the time the taxicab operator stops to load the passenger under subd. 1., there is no suitable, available loading zone for loading the passenger.

AB358,3,9 (b) Along with the special identification card presented under par. (a) 3., at the time the passenger under par. (a) 1. is loaded into the taxicab, the passenger shall present to the taxicab operator a letter from the department issued with the passenger's special identification card.

AB358,3 Section 3. Initial applicability.

AB358,3,12 (1) This act first applies to vehicles operated on the effective date of this subsection.

AB358,3,13 (End)