Petition to Strengthen Accessible Parking Laws

As individuals with disabilities, we have serious concerns in relation to the number of Accessible Parking Placards in circulation and the criteria used for issuing of these permits. The accessible parking system was born out of a basic necessity to maintain independence for people with limited mobility. A person with a disability requires an accessible parking space because of its size (accessible parking spaces are larger than the standard parking space) and proximity to daily facilities. These accessible spaces provide vital access to community facilities and services, and support the participation of people with disabilities in community life. The entitlements attached to these Parking Placards have made them a desirable commodity and therefore, unfortunately, open to abuse under the current system.

Last year Senator Vincent Sheheen (D) introduced a bill (S.425) that would tighten requirements for issuance and ownership of Accessible Parking Placards. The bill passed the Senate but stalled in the House Education and Public Works Committee. We wheelchair users are working on having it revised and reintroduced. We are now working to conduct a petition to collect as many signatures as we can to attach to this new bill. We are also planning on going to Columbia in January to speak with the Legislators themselves. We hope this will help in getting this new bill passed.

Action petitioned for:

We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens who urge our leaders to act now and support the legislation introduced into the South Carolina Legislature last year to:

•  Require the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue placards with the holder's photo printed on the placard.
•  Require a licensed physician to certify that a person's total and permanent disability substantially impairs his/her ability to walk.
•  Clarify and tighten the types of impairments that make people eligible for the placards.
•  Keep the metered free parking.

If you would like to add your name to our petition, please click on the "Post A New Message" link in the bottom right hand corner of this page, and submit your information.