BILL NUMBER: AB 1944	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 3, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Fletcher

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2010

   An act to amend Section 5007 of, and to add Section 5007.3 to, the
Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1944, as amended, Fletcher. Vehicles: special license plates:
disabled veterans.
    Under existing law, the Department of Motor Vehicles is required,
upon application and without additional fees, to issue a special
license plate or plates to a disabled person, a disabled veteran, or
an organization or agency involved in the transportation of those
persons pursuant to procedures adopted by the department.
   This bill would delete "disabled veteran" from these provisions
and instead establish new requirements for the issuance of a special
license plate  or plates  to a disabled veteran
 or an organization or agency involved in the transportation
of those persons  that would require that the  United
States  Department of Veterans Affairs certify on a form
prescribed by the Department of Motor Vehicles that the veteran is
disabled as a result of an injury or disease suffered while on active
 service   duty  with the Armed Forces of
the United States.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 5007 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
   5007.  (a) The department shall, upon application and without
additional fees, issue a special license plate or plates pursuant to
procedures adopted by the department to the following:
   (1) A disabled person.
   (2) An organization or agency involved in the transportation of
disabled persons  or disabled veterans  if the vehicle that
will have the special license plate is used solely for the purpose of
transporting those persons.
   (b) The special license plates issued under subdivision (a) shall
run in a regular numerical series that shall include one or more
unique two-letter codes reserved for disabled person license plates.
The International Symbol of Access adopted pursuant to Section 3 of
Public Law 100-641, commonly known as the "wheelchair symbol" shall
be depicted on each plate.
   (c) (1) Prior to issuing a special license plate to a disabled
person, the department shall require the submission of a certificate,
in accordance with paragraph (2), signed by the physician and
surgeon, or to the extent that it does not cause a reduction in the
receipt of federal aid highway funds, by a nurse practitioner,
certified nurse midwife, or physician assistant, substantiating the
disability, unless the applicant's disability is readily observable
and uncontested. The disability of a person who has lost, or has lost
use of, one or more lower extremities or one or both hands, or who
has significant limitation in the use of his or her lower
extremities, may also be certified by a licensed chiropractor. The
blindness of an applicant shall be certified by a licensed physician
and surgeon who specializes in diseases of the eye or a licensed
optometrist. The physician and surgeon, nurse practitioner, certified
nurse midwife, physician assistant, chiropractor, or optometrist
certifying the qualifying disability shall provide a full description
of the illness or disability on the form submitted to the
department.
   (2) The physician and surgeon, nurse practitioner, certified nurse
midwife, physician assistant, chiropractor, or optometrist who signs
a certificate submitted under this subdivision shall retain
information sufficient to substantiate that certificate and, upon
request of the department, shall make that information available for
inspection by the Medical Board of California or the appropriate
regulatory board.
   (d) A disabled person issued a license plate or plates under this
section shall, upon request, present to a peace officer, or person
authorized to enforce parking laws, ordinances, or regulations, a
certification form that substantiates the eligibility of the disabled
person to possess the plate or plates. The certification shall be on
a form prescribed by the department and contain the name of the
disabled person to whom the plate or plates were issued, and the
name, address, and telephone number of the medical professional
described in subdivision (c) who certified the eligibility of the
person for the plate or plates.
   (e) The certification requirements of subdivisions (c) and (d) do
not apply to an organization or agency that is issued a special
license plate or plates under paragraph (2) of subdivision (a).
   (f) The special license plate shall, upon the death of the
disabled person, be returned to the department within 60 days or upon
the expiration of the vehicle registration, whichever occurs first.
   (g) When a vehicle subject to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) is
sold or transferred, the special license plate or plates issued to an
organization or agency under paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) for
that vehicle shall be immediately returned to the department.
  SEC. 2.  Section 5007.3 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
   5007.3.  (a) The department shall, upon application and without
additional fees, issue a special license plate or plates pursuant to
procedures adopted by the department to  the following:

    (1)     A 
 a  disabled veteran. 
   (2) An organization or agency involved in the transportation of
disabled veterans if the vehicle that will have the special license
plate is used solely for the purpose of transporting those persons.

   (b) The special license plates issued under subdivision (a) shall
run in a regular numerical series that shall include one or more
unique two-letter codes reserved for disabled veteran license plates.
The International Symbol of Access adopted pursuant to Section 3 of
Public Law 100-641, commonly known as the "wheelchair symbol" shall
be depicted on each plate.
   (c)  (1)    Prior to issuing a
special license plate or plates to a disabled veteran, the department
shall require certification from the  United States 
Department of Veterans Affairs that the disabled veteran has a
service-connected disability described in Section 295.7. 
   (2) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall retain information
sufficient to substantiate the disabled veteran's certificate and,
upon request of the department, shall make that information available
for inspection by the Medical Board of California or the appropriate
regulatory board. 
   (d) A disabled veteran issued a license plate or plates under this
section shall, upon request, present to a peace officer, or person
authorized to enforce parking laws, ordinances, or regulations, the
certification that substantiates the eligibility of the disabled
veteran to possess the plate or plates. The certification shall be on
a form prescribed by the department and contain the name of the
disabled veteran to whom the plate or plates were issued, and the
name, office address, and telephone number of the person from the
 United States  Department of Veterans Affairs who certified
the eligibility of the veteran for the plate or plates. 
   (e) The certification requirements of subdivisions (c) and (d) do
not apply to an organization or agency that is issued a special
license plate or plates under paragraph (2) of subdivision (a).
 
   (f) 
    (e)  The special license plate shall, upon the death of
the disabled veteran, be returned to the department within 60 days or
upon the expiration of the vehicle registration, whichever occurs
first. 
   (g) When a vehicle subject to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) is
sold or transferred, the special license plate or plates issued to an
organization or agency under paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) for
that vehicle shall be immediately returned to the department.