S1899

An Act concerning parking in certain designated zones and amending and supplementing P.L.1949, c.280.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 1 of P.L.1949, c.280 (C.39:4-204) is amended to read as follows:

1. The phrase "person with a disability" means:

a. any person who has lost the use of one or more limbs as a consequence of paralysis, amputation, or other permanent disability or who has a permanent disability as to be unable to ambulate without the aid of an assisting device or whose mobility is otherwise limited as certified by a physician with a plenary license to practice medicine and surgery in this State or a bordering [State] state; a podiatrist licensed to practice in this State or a bordering state; a physician stationed at a military or naval installation located in this State who is licensed to practice in any state; a chiropractic physician licensed to practice in this State or a bordering state; a physician assistant licensed to practice in this State or a bordering state; or a nurse practitioner licensed to practice in this State or a bordering state; [or]

b. any citizen and resident of this State honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States who is adjudicated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or its successor, as being permanently 100 percent disabled;

c. any person who has been issued a disabled veteran license plate or placard by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission pursuant to the provisions of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes; or

d. any person who has been issued a Purple Heart license plate or placard by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission pursuant to the provisions of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes and whose ability to walk is limited or impaired as certified by a physician with a plenary license to practice medicine and surgery in this State or a bordering state; a physician stationed at a military or naval installation located in this State who is licensed to practice in any state; a physician assistant licensed to practice in this State or a bordering state; or a nurse practitioner licensed to practice in this State or a bordering state.

(cf: P.L.2017, c.166, s.1)

2. (New section) a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, a person who is a disabled veteran may park in a parking space or zone that is restricted for use by a person with a disability provided that the person displays the person’s valid, unexpired disabled veteran license plate or placard on the motor vehicle while parked in that parking space or zone. A person who has been issued a disabled veteran license plate or placard by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall not be required to obtain a person with a disability identification card and shall not be required to obtain or display any special license plates or placards issued to persons with a disability by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission in order to park in a parking space or zone pursuant to this section, provided that the person displays the person’s valid, unexpired disabled veteran license plate or placard on the motor vehicle while parked in that parking space or zone.

b. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, a person who is a recipient of the Purple Heart and whose ability to walk has been determined to be limited or impaired to such an extent that the person is considered to be a “person with a disability” as certified by a medical professional, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1949, c.280 (C.39:4-204) may park in a parking space or zone that is restricted for use by a person with a disability provided that the person displays the person’s valid, unexpired Purple Heart license plate or placard on the motor vehicle while parked in that parking space or zone. A person who has been issued a Purple Heart license plate or placard by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall not be required to obtain a person with a disability identification card and shall not be required to obtain or display any special license plates or placards issued to persons with a disability by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission in order to park in a parking space or zone pursuant to this section, provided that the person displays the person’s valid, unexpired Purple Heart license plate or placard on the motor vehicle and possesses the medical certification provided by a medical professional, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1949, c.280 (C.39:4-204), while parked in that parking space or zone. A person who is a recipient of the Purple Heart who is parked in a parking space or zone that is restricted for use by a person with a disability shall provide the medical certification to law enforcement when requested.

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill provides that any person who has been issued a disabled veteran license plate or placard and any person who has been issued a Purple Heart license plate or placard and whose ability to walk is limited or impaired, as certified by certain medical professionals listed in the bill, is to be considered a person with a disability by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. The bill further provides that any person who is a disabled veteran or recipient of the Purple Heart, provided that the Purple Heart recipient’s ability to walk is limited or impaired as certified by a medical professional, may park in parking spaces and zones that are restricted for persons with a disability provided that the person displays the person’s unexpired disabled veteran or Purple Heart license plate or placard while parked in that parking space or zone and, for Purple Heart recipients, possesses the medical certification provided by a medical professional. A person who is a recipient of the Purple Heart who is parked in a parking space or zone that is restricted for use by a person with a disability is required to provide the medical certification to law enforcement when requested.