HB1882 - The Van Accessible Parking Act

• Establishes a new "van-accessible parking decal" designation for vehicles transporting persons with disabilities who use wheelchairs, scooters, walkers with seats, or similar mobility devices, and allows such decals to be affixed to special license plates, certificates, or temporary certificates.

• Increases penalties for illegal disability parking violations: first offense minimum fine raised from $100 to $250 (reducible to $100 upon completion of an awareness class), and second/subsequent offenses raised from $250-$1,000 range to $500-$1,000 range, plus towing and impoundment fees.

• Requires vehicles displaying van-accessible parking decals to be actively transporting the qualified person with a disability and prohibits their use for other purposes; allows impoundment of non-compliant vehicles.

• Mandates the Office of Motor Vehicles to create a class in consultation with the Governor's Commission on People with Disabilities to promote parking compliance awareness under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

• Redirects fine distribution to 50% for the Governor's Commission on People with Disabilities Fund (30% scholarships, 20% public education on accessible parking) and 50% to local city/town general funds for ADA compliance expenses; establishes different effective dates with van-accessible provisions taking effect November 13, 2017, and enforcement/penalty provisions effective January 1, 2019.