TITLE 31

Motor and Other vehicles

CHAPTER 31-28

Parking Facilities and Privileges

SECTION 31-28-7



   § 31-28-7  Motor vehicle plates for persons

with disabilities – Entitlement – Designated parking spaces –

Violations. –

(a) Persons, as defined in subsection (h) of this section, upon application and

proof of permanent or long-term disability to the division of motor vehicles,

shall be issued one motor vehicle disability parking privilege placard or in

the case of a motorcycle, one motor vehicle sticker, of blue which shall be

imprinted with the white international symbol of access, certificate number,

the words "Rhode Island Disability Parking Permit" and shall bear the

expiration date upon its face. A placard or motorcycle sticker issued to a

person whose disability is temporary shall be substantially similar to that

issued to a person with a permanent or long term disability. The temporary

placard, however, shall be a red placard with a white international symbol of

access, certificate number, the words "Rhode Island Disability Parking Permit"

and shall bear the expiration dates upon its face. A preliminary placard shall

be similar to that issued to a person with a permanent, long-term, or temporary

disability. The preliminary placard shall be effective for twenty-one (21)

days, and may be issued by an applicant's licensed physician, if in the medical

provider's opinion the applicant's medical condition merits the issuance of a

preliminary placard while the division considers the applicant's qualifications

for any type of disability parking permit. The preliminary placard shall be an

orange placard with a white international symbol of access, certificate number,

the words "Rhode Island Disability Parking Permit" and shall bear the

expiration date upon its face and shall be displayed on the dashboard of the

vehicle in a manner that it is clearly visible from the front. The division of

motor vehicles shall promulgate rules governing the issuance and use of

preliminary placards. Applicants shall not be charged any fee associated with

the issuance of a preliminary placard. Physicians submitting false information

to the division of motor vehicles to obtain a preliminary placard on anyone's

behalf may be subject to the penalties set forth in § 11-18-1.3. Persons

issued a placard or motorcycle sticker pursuant to this section shall be

entitled to the immunities of §§ 31-28-4 and 31-28-6. The placard

shall conform to the Uniform Parking System for Disabled Drivers standard

issued by the United States Department of Transportation. If an application for

a placard or motorcycle sticker is denied, the division of motor vehicles shall

promptly notify the applicant in writing, stating the specific reason(s) for

the denial, and advising the applicant of the procedures for requesting a

hearing to appeal the denial. Prior to the appeal hearing, the applicant shall

be provided with any and all documents relied upon by the division in denying

the application. If an application contains a physician certification that the

applicant is sufficiently disabled to require a placard or motorcycle sticker,

and the division has not provided specific reasons in its denial letter to the

applicant, the hearing officer shall summarily order that a placard or

motorcycle sticker be provided to the applicant. At all other hearings of

application denials where a physician certification has been provided, the

division shall bear the burden of proof that the individual is not entitled to

a placard or motorcycle sticker pursuant to this chapter.



   (b) A placard issued pursuant to this section shall be

portable and used only when the person is being transported. The placard is to

be hung from the rear view mirror so as to be seen through the front or rear

windshield of the motor vehicle. A placard may be issued to a person with a

disability who does not own a motor vehicle, to be used only when he or she is

being transported. A motorcycle sticker issued pursuant to this section shall

not be portable and shall be affixed to the rear plate of the motorcycle.



   (c)(1) The certificate of entitlement to the placard or

motorcycle sticker shall be renewed every six (6) years for individuals with a

long-term disability, as defined in subsection (d) of this section, and the

renewal application shall require a physician's certification that the

condition has not changed since the previous approval, and six (6) years for

individuals with a permanent disability as defined in subsection (h) of this

section, in accordance with a schedule prepared by the division of motor

vehicles that uses the last name of an individual to determine the month of

renewal. If an application or subsequent renewal is accompanied by a

physician's certification that the applicant's condition is a chronic,

permanent impairment and that application is approved, then any subsequent

renewal shall be authorized upon receipt of a notarized affidavit from the

applicant or applicant's, guardian or legal representative or a certificate

from the applicant's physician that his or her condition has not changed since

the previous approval.



   (2) The certificate of entitlement to the placard or

motorcycle sticker shall be covered with plastic or similar material. The

applicant shall, upon timely renewal, receive a sticker bearing the expiration

date of the certificate of entitlement to be affixed across the expiration date

of the disability parking privilege placard or in the case of a motorcycle the

applicant shall receive a new motorcycle sticker. The division of motor

vehicles shall establish rules and regulations allowing for the renewal of the

certificates of entitlement by mail.



   (3) Whenever the division of motor vehicles proposes to

suspend, revoke or fail to renew the certificate of entitlement for

noncompliance with the requirements of this section or for violation of

subsection (h) of this section, the individual shall first be entitled to a

hearing before the division of motor vehicles to contest the proposed action.

At the hearing, the division of motor vehicles shall bear the burden of proof

that the individual is not entitled to the placard or motorcycle sticker

pursuant to this chapter. There shall be no renewal fee charged for the

placards or motorcycle sticker. The division of motor vehicles shall be

authorized to issue a temporary disability parking privilege placard or

motorcycle sticker immediately upon receipt of an application for individuals

with a temporary impairment, as defined in subsection (h) of this section. A

temporary placard or motorcycle sticker shall be valid for sixty (60) days from

the date of issuance. Temporary placards or motorcycle stickers may be renewed

for a period of one year or less, as determined by the medical advisory board

upon application if the disability persists. The division of motor vehicles

shall subsequently review the applications in accordance with the procedures

currently in effect as to applications from persons whose disability is long

term. Any issuance which, after subsequent review, shall be found to be

inappropriate shall be revoked and notice of the revocation shall be sent to

the applicant.



   (d) A person, other than a person with a disability, who for

his or her own purposes uses the parking privilege placard, shall be fined five

hundred dollars ($500) for each violation. A person issued a special placard

who uses the placard after expiration, or who shall allow unauthorized use of

the disability parking placard or sticker, may be subject to immediate

revocation of the use of the placard by the division of motor vehicles, and

subject to a fine of five hundred dollars ($500).



   (e) Disability parking spaces shall be designated and

identified by the posting of signs above ground level incorporating the

international symbol of access of white on blue, and the words "Handicapped

Parking", "Disability Parking," "Disabled Parking," or "Reserved Parking" at

each space, at both ends of a row or series of adjacent disability parking

spaces, or at the entrance to a parking lot restricted to only disability

parking.



   (f) A person, other than a person issued a special placard or

motorcycle sticker pursuant to this section, who parks a vehicle in a parking

space designated for persons with disabilities, shall be fined: (1) one hundred

dollars ($100) for a first violation, (2) one hundred seventy-five dollars

($175) for a second violation, and (3) three hundred twenty-five dollars ($325)

for a third or subsequent violation. The vehicle may be subject to towing at

the owner's expense. Provided further, that it shall not be unlawful for a

person to park a vehicle in a space designated for person with disabilities if

that person is transporting a person who has been issued a special placard and

is properly displaying the placard on the vehicle.



   (g) Enforcement of the parking provisions of this section

shall be enforced by the local or state authorities on public or private

property when the location of the parking spaces is within the purview of the

State Building Code, chapter 27.3 of title 23.



   (h) Definitions. For the purpose of this section:



   (1) "Disabled" or "disability" means a permanent or long-term

impairment which prevents or impedes walking, which shall include but not be

limited to: (i) an impairment which prevents walking and requires use of a

wheelchair; (ii) an impairment which involuntarily causes difficulty or

insecurity in walking or climbing stairs with or without the need to use

braces, crutches, canes or artificial support; (iii) an impairment caused by

amputation, arthritis, blindness (including legally blind), or orthopedic

condition; (iv) an impairment in respiratory, circulatory, or neurological

health which limits the person's walking capability; or (v) disabled veteran,

pursuant to § 31-6-8 after certification of eligibility from the Veterans'

Administration or other satisfactory documentation of eligibility is presented.

Persons with disabilities may be capable of working or may be presently working.



   (2) "Long-term disability" means an impairment which is

potentially reversible or may improve with appropriate medical treatment. At

the time of application and or renewal, the impairment should not be expected

to improve prior to the expiration of the certification, to a point where the

individual does not meet the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection.



   (3) "Permanent disability" means an impairment which is

non-reversible.



   (4) "Temporary impairment" means an impairment which is

expected to improve to a point where the individual does not meet the

provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, within two (2) years of the

application.



   (i) The department of revenue shall inform each licensed

driver of the certificate procedures and parking restrictions of this section

and §§ 31-28-4 and 31-28-6, and a facsimile of the portable placards

and motorcycle stickers issued under this section shall be sent to the

enforcing authority of each state, and each enforcing authority shall be

informed of the parking restrictions of this section and §§ 31-28-4

and 31-28-6. Recipients of disability parking privilege placards shall also

receive instructions on their use and the penalties for misuse, when the

placard is initially issued.



   (j) Any person who makes, manufactures, offers for sale or

knowingly uses a counterfeit parking privilege placard shall be fined up to

five hundred dollars ($500) and/or forty (40) hours of community restitution.



History of Section.

(P.L. 1948, ch. 2051, § 3; P.L. 1951, ch. 2851, § 1; P.L. 1955, ch.

3575, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 31-28-7; P.L. 1982, ch. 74, § 1; P.L.

1982, ch. 281, §§ 1, 3; P.L. 1983, ch. 14, § 1; P.L. 1983, ch.

138, § 1; P.L. 1985, ch. 286, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 81, § 1; P.L.

1986, ch. 149, § 1; P.L. 1987, ch. 127, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 132,

§ 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 439, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 592, § 1; P.L.

1989, ch. 548, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch. 44, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 33, §

1; P.L. 1992, ch. 64, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 126, § 1; P.L. 1994, ch.

109, § 1; P.L. 1994, ch. 135, § 1; P.L. 1994, ch. 379, § 1; P.L.

1996, ch. 314, § 1; P.L. 1996, ch. 323, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 402,

§ 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 83, § 72; P.L. 1999, ch. 130, § 72; P.L.

2000, ch. 252, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 280, § 1; P.L. 2002, ch. 58,

§ 7; P.L. 2002, ch. 214, § 1; P.L. 2002, ch. 396, § 1; P.L.

2006, ch. 183, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 333, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 651,

§ 2; P.L. 2007, ch. 135, § 1; P.L. 2007, ch. 214, § 1; P.L.

2008, ch. 98, § 23; P.L. 2008, ch. 145, § 23; P.L. 2013, ch. 24,

§ 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 35, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 105, § 1; P.L. 2013,

ch. 115, § 1.)