HF 530

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 02/17/2011 09:41am

A bill for an act
relating to traffic regulations; modifying provision relating to disability parking;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 169.345, subdivision 1.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 169.345, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Scope of privilege.

(a) A motor vehicle that prominently displays
the certificate authorized by this section or that bears disability plates issued under section
168.021 may be parked by or solely for the benefit of a physically disabled person:

(1) in a designated parking space for disabled persons, as provided in section
169.346;

(2) in a metered parking space without obligation to pay the meter fee and without
time restrictions unless time restrictions are separately posted on official signs; and

(3) without time restrictions in a nonmetered space where parking is otherwise
allowed for passenger vehicles but restricted to a maximum period of time and that does
not specifically prohibit the exercise of disabled parking privileges in that space.

A person may park a motor vehicle for a physically disabled person in a parking space
described in clause (1) or (2) only when actually transporting the physically disabled
person for the sole benefit of that person and when the parking space is within a reasonable
distance from the drop-off point.

(b) For purposes of this subdivision, a certificate is prominently displayed if it is
displayed so that it may be viewed from the front and rear of the motor vehicle by hanging
it from the rearview mirror attached to the front windshield of the motor vehicle. If there is
no rearview mirror or if the certificate holder's disability precludes placing the certificate
on the mirror, the certificate must be displayed on the dashboard deleted text begin on the driver's side deleted text end of
the vehicle. No part of the certificate may be obscured.

(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), clauses (1), (2), and (3), this section does not
permit parking in areas prohibited by sections 169.32 and 169.34, in designated no
parking spaces, or in parking spaces reserved for specified purposes or vehicles. A local
governmental unit may, by ordinance, prohibit parking on any street or highway to create
a fire lane, or to accommodate heavy traffic during morning and afternoon rush hours and
these ordinances also apply to physically disabled persons.