1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to traffic regulations; limiting access to 
  1.3             data on holders of disabled parking certificates; 
  1.4             modifying provisions governing display and use of 
  1.5             certificates; amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, 
  1.6             sections 13.69, subdivision 1; and 169.345, 
  1.7             subdivisions 1, 3, and 4. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 13.69, 
  1.10  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.11     Subdivision 1.  [CLASSIFICATIONS.] (a) The following 
  1.12  government data of the department of public safety are private 
  1.13  data:  
  1.14     (1) medical data on driving instructors, licensed drivers, 
  1.15  and applicants for parking certificates and special license 
  1.16  plates issued to physically handicapped persons; and 
  1.17     (2) other data on holders of a disability certificate under 
  1.18  section 169.345, except that data that are not medical data may 
  1.19  be released to law enforcement agencies; and 
  1.20     (3) social security numbers in driver's license and motor 
  1.21  vehicle registration records, except that social security 
  1.22  numbers must be provided to the department of revenue for 
  1.23  purposes of tax administration.  
  1.24     (b) The following government data of the department of 
  1.25  public safety are confidential data:  data concerning an 
  1.26  individual's driving ability when that data is received from a 
  2.1   member of the individual's family. 
  2.2      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 169.345, 
  2.3   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  2.4      Subdivision 1.  [SCOPE OF PRIVILEGE.] A vehicle that 
  2.5   prominently displays the certificate authorized by this section 
  2.6   or that bears license plates issued under section 168.021, may 
  2.7   be parked by or for a physically disabled person: 
  2.8      (1) in a designated parking space for disabled persons, as 
  2.9   provided in section 169.346; and 
  2.10     (2) in a metered parking space without obligation to pay 
  2.11  the meter fee and without time restrictions unless time 
  2.12  restrictions are separately posted on official signs.  
  2.13     For purposes of this subdivision, a certificate is 
  2.14  prominently displayed if it is displayed so that it may be 
  2.15  viewed from the front and rear of the vehicle by hanging it from 
  2.16  the rearview mirror attached to the front windshield of the 
  2.17  vehicle.  If there is no rearview mirror or if the certificate 
  2.18  holder's disability precludes placing the certificate on the 
  2.19  mirror, the placard must be displayed on the dashboard on the 
  2.20  driver's side of the vehicle.  No part of the certificate may be 
  2.21  obscured. 
  2.22     Notwithstanding clauses (1) and (2), this section does not 
  2.23  permit parking in areas prohibited by sections 169.32 and 
  2.24  169.34, in designated no parking spaces, or in parking spaces 
  2.25  reserved for specified purposes or vehicles.  A local 
  2.26  governmental unit may, by ordinance, prohibit parking on any 
  2.27  street or highway to create a fire lane, or to accommodate heavy 
  2.28  traffic during morning and afternoon rush hours and these 
  2.29  ordinances also apply to physically disabled persons. 
  2.30     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 169.345, 
  2.31  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  2.32     Subd. 3.  [IDENTIFYING CERTIFICATE.] (a) The division of 
  2.33  driver and vehicle services in the department of public safety 
  2.34  shall issue (1) immediately, a temporary permit valid for 30 
  2.35  days, if the person is eligible for the certificate issued under 
  2.36  this paragraph, and (2) a special identifying certificate for a 
  3.1   motor vehicle when a physically disabled applicant submits proof 
  3.2   of physical disability under subdivision 2a.  The commissioner 
  3.3   shall design separate certificates for persons with permanent 
  3.4   and temporary disabilities that can be readily distinguished 
  3.5   from each other from outside a vehicle at a distance of 25 
  3.6   feet.  The certificate is valid for six years, if the disability 
  3.7   is specified in the physician's or chiropractor's statement as 
  3.8   permanent, and is valid for a period not to exceed six months, 
  3.9   if the disability is specified as temporary. 
  3.10     (b) When the commissioner is satisfied that a motor vehicle 
  3.11  is used primarily for the purpose of transporting physically 
  3.12  disabled persons, the division may issue without charge (1) 
  3.13  immediately, a temporary permit valid for 30 days, if the 
  3.14  operator is eligible for the certificate issued under this 
  3.15  paragraph, and (2) a special identifying certificate for the 
  3.16  vehicle.  The operator of a vehicle displaying the certificate 
  3.17  or temporary permit has the parking privileges provided in 
  3.18  subdivision 1 while the vehicle is in use for transporting 
  3.19  physically disabled persons.  The certificate issued to a person 
  3.20  transporting physically disabled persons must be renewed every 
  3.21  third year.  On application and renewal, the person must present 
  3.22  evidence that the vehicle continues to be used for transporting 
  3.23  physically disabled persons. 
  3.24     (c) A certificate must be made of plastic or similar 
  3.25  durable material and must bear its expiration date prominently 
  3.26  on both sides.  A certificate issued prior to January 1, 1994, 
  3.27  must bear its expiration date prominently on its face and will 
  3.28  remain valid until that date or December 31, 2000, whichever 
  3.29  shall come first.  A certificate issued to a temporarily 
  3.30  disabled person must display the date of expiration of the 
  3.31  duration of the disability, as determined under paragraph (a).  
  3.32  Each applicant must be provided a summary of the parking 
  3.33  privileges and restrictions that apply to each vehicle for which 
  3.34  the certificate is used.  The commissioner may charge a fee of 
  3.35  $5 for issuance or renewal of a certificate or temporary permit, 
  3.36  and a fee of $5 for a duplicate to replace a lost, stolen, or 
  4.1   damaged certificate or temporary permit.  The commissioner shall 
  4.2   not charge a fee for issuing a certificate to a person who has 
  4.3   paid a fee for issuance of a temporary permit. 
  4.4      Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 169.345, 
  4.5   subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
  4.6      Subd. 4.  [UNAUTHORIZED USE; REVOCATION; PENALTY.] If a 
  4.7   peace officer or authorized agent of the citizen enforcement 
  4.8   program finds that the certificate or temporary permit is being 
  4.9   improperly used, the officer or agent shall report the violation 
  4.10  to the division of driver and vehicle services in the department 
  4.11  of public safety and the commissioner of public safety may 
  4.12  revoke the certificate or temporary permit.  A person who uses 
  4.13  the certificate or temporary permit in violation of this section 
  4.14  is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to a fine of $500.