Enforcement against Disability Parking Abuse Strengthened
Many of us in the disability community have long been concerned about the fraudulent use of disability parking credentials and facilities. We often hear reports of misuse of disability parking placards, such as nondisabled individuals using the placard of a friend or relative (or even more egregious, using the placard of a deceased person) to park in disability parking spaces. While it is sometimes hard to gauge just how widespread these abuses are, the state Inspector General's office conducted a study several years ago that found serious misuse of disability placards in downtown Boston. In response to these myriad concerns, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts recently increased fines for placard abuse and misuse. In a ceremony on November 27, Governor Charlie Baker signed into law stiffer sanctions for disability plate/placard abuse, as passed by the state legislature. The ceremony was attended by legislators and leaders from the Massachusetts Office on Disability, Registry of Motor Vehicles, and other state agencies.
Among the key provisions of the new law (which amends Chapter 90 in Sections 2 and 24B) are the following:
- Prohibits the use of a disability plate or placard used by someone who is using the name of a deceased person. An individual using a decedent’s placard or plate will be fined $500.00 for a first offense and $1000.00 for a second or subsequent offense;
- Increases the license suspension for a person who wrongfully displays a disability plate or placard from 30 days to 60 days for a first such offense;
- Increases the license suspension for a person who wrongfully displays a disability plate or placard from 90 days to 120 days for a second offense;
- Provides that anyone who obstructs the number or expiration date of a disability placard or otherwise makes its visibility unclear will be fined $50.00;
- Amends Chapter 90, section 24B to impose criminal penalties for forging, stealing or counterfeiting a special parking identification placard; and
- Allows the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to refuse to process applications for disability plates or placards if the applicant does not provide documentation or information required by the Registrar to verify the information contained within the application.
For further information, see the press release from the Commonwealth’s news office.
The Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) also has info about the new law on their official blog.