Parking for Persons with Disabilities
REPORT OF ACTIVITIES
FY 2011-2012
Federal and State Legislation and Rules
Public Law 100-641, passed by Congress on November 9, 1988, established a uniform system for
parking for persons with disabilities at the Federal level. Most states or local jurisdictions already had
laws or ordinances that established a permit process for parking for people with disabilities in
reserved spaces. However, Congress recognized that the laws were inconsistent and believed that a
compelling national interest existed to, at a minimum, standardize the eligibility criteria for parking
privileges so that interstate travel would be facilitated for travelers with disabilities.
The Federal law and subsequent regulations (23 CFR 1235) set forth guidelines for states to use in
establishing a uniform parking system to enhance access and safety for persons who have a
disability which limits or impairs their ability to walk. The Federal law and rules exhort, rather than
require, states to comply with their provisions. The Federal law does not preclude states from going
beyond the minimum threshold requirements.
Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), Chapter 291, Part III, and Chapter 11-219, Hawaii Administrative
Rules (HAR) addresses the following major areas:
• Eligibility criteria to obtain a person with a disability parking permit.
• Procedures for processing a person with a disability parking permit application and
issuing a person with a disability parking permit.
• Specific parking privileges for vehicles that display a person with a disability parking
permit.
• Specific penalties for the misuse of a person with a disability parking permit and
parking spaces reserved for persons with disabilities.
• Reciprocal recognition of person with a disability parking permits of other jurisdictions
(consistent with Federal guidelines).
• Minimum requirements for signage and marking of parking spaces reserved for
persons with disabilities.
Disability and Communication Access Board
919 Ala Moana Blvd., Room 101
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 586-8121 (V/TTY)
(808) 586-8129 (Fax)
Web site: www.hawaii.gov/health/dcab
E-mail: dc[email protected]awaii.gov
Issuance of Parking Placards to Qualified Persons with Disabilities
HAR, Chapter 11-219, Parking for Persons with Disabilities, was amended by DCAB and signed into
effect on July 2, 2012. The primary purpose of these changes was to conform to Act 141 (2010) and
Act 183 (2011) Session Laws of Hawaii. The amendments changed the authority of the issuing
agency from the Counties to DCAB, provided language for DCAB to enter into Memorandum of
Agreements (MOA) with the Counties to issue various permits, changed the validity of a removable
windshield placard from 4 to 6 years, changed issuance for a removable windshield placard from 2 to
1 placard, and clarified language regarding placement of a placard on the dashboard of a vehicle.
DCAB implemented MOA with the Counties that detail the issuance of the parking permits for persons
with disabilities. A total of 27,231 removable windshield placards were issued by the Counties and
DCAB in FY 11-12.
The Counties issued the initial removable windshield placards at no charge to the consumer but
received a reimbursement of $12 per placard to cover issuance costs. This reimbursement totaled
$112,176. The Counties also collected and retained $77,906 in transaction fees for the issuance of
temporary removable windshield placards and replacement placards that were lost or stolen.
County Revenue
Reimbursed by DCAB
Fees Collected
Total
County of Kauai
$4,824.00
$2,669.00
$7,493.00
County of Maui
$11,004.00
$8,240.00
$19,244.00
County of Hawaii
$16,344.00
$8,500.00
$24,844.00
C & C of Honolulu
$80,004.00
$58,496.50
$138,500.50
Total
$112,176.00
$77,905.50
$190,081.50
DCAB established and administered a renewal by mail program in 2010. In FY 11-12, 13,286
renewal notices were sent to current placard holders resulting in 10,813 placards issued.
11,907
2,150
696
1,665
10,813
Number of Placards Issued FY 11-12
City and County of Honolulu
County of Hawaii
County of Kauai
County of Maui
DCAB
TOTAL = 27,231
Quality Assurance Program
DCAB establishes and maintains the highest measure of quality assurance, ensuring a legitimate and
reliable parking program for persons with disabilities.
• DCAB retrieved and removed from circulation 600 placards from deceased permittees families
and estates and 416 expired placards through DCAB’s outreach mail campaign.
• DCAB received 9,089 returned placards from a Business Reply Envelope insert included in the
renewal placard packet in an effort to remove expired placards from circulation in the community.
The Population of Placard Holders
State law and administrative rules provide criteria for individuals who qualify for a permit. A person is
qualified if he or she meets any one of the following criterion. However a person may be eligible in
more than one category.
• A person who cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest due to a diagnosed arthritic,
neurological, orthopedic, renal, vascular, or oncological condition;
• A person who cannot walk without the use of, or assistance from, a brace, cane, crutch, another
person, prosthetic device, wheelchair, or other assistive device;
• A person who uses portable oxygen;
• A person who is restricted by lung disease to such an extent that the person’s forced (respiratory)
expiratory volume for one second, when measured by spirometry, is less than one liter, or the
arterial oxygen tension is less than sixty mm/hg on room air at rest;
• A person has a cardiac condition to the extent that the person’s functional limitations are classified
in severity as Class III or Class IV according to the standards set by the American Heart
Association.
As of June 30, 2012 there were 103,986 active permits in circulation. A permit holder may
indicate more than one disability or use of aid.
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
33,473
19,935
33,954
4,054
2,837
4,913
2,395
5,579
444
15,369
1,846
5,054
1,178
6,312
7,006
863
965
Criteria Under Which Placard Was Issued
Overall Program Administration
DCAB maintained and expanded the database system which continues to be the main repository of
all disabled parking records for the state of Hawaii.
• Continued to maintain and monitor the parking database (Internet-based) of permit holders.
• Established standard operating procedures for the administration of the parking program.
• Translated select parking documents into Ilocano.
Use and Enforcement of Accessible Parking Spaces – Public Education
Accessible parking spaces are uniquely designed and located to accommodate the needs of qualified
individuals with a mobility impairment. A “person with a disability parking permit” (parking placard or
special license plates) authorizes the use of accessible spaces.
Parking spaces designed for persons with disabilities must comply with the 2010
Americans with Disabilities Act, Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) and HAR Chapter
§11-219-14. Beyond the requirements imposed by the ADA Standards, the HAR
require “no parking in access aisle” signs in all access aisles that are designed to be
van accessible, placement of accessible parking signs and “no parking in access aisle”
signs in parallel parking spaces, and color designations and markings for striping of
accessible parking spaces. DCAB conducted the following activities:
• Collaborated with county police departments and parking control agencies to
enforce the proper use of accessible parking spaces by contacting businesses and
management agencies to encourage voluntary compliance, including use of public
stalls by employees.
• Alerted local police enforcement officers on the display and recognition of
international permits for person with disabilities (i.e. Europe “Blue Badge,” Australia
“Australian Parking Permit,” Honduras “Honduran Disabled Parking Permit,” and
various Japanese municipal and prefectural districts.)
• Worked with State departments to problem solve the enforcement of accessible parking spaces.
Most notable were the University of Hawaii (Manoa, Hilo, and various community college
campuses), Department of Transportation (Airport and Harbors Divisions), Department of
Accounting and General Services (Aliiolani and Kaahumanu Hale), and the Hawaii State Library
System (Manoa, Aina Haina and Moiliili).
• Produced and promoted a public service announcement on “The Proper Use of an Accessible
Parking Stall and Respective Access Aisle” which was broadcasted for 190 airings on KGMB and
KHNL television stations during the month of June 2012.
Nondiscrimination in Services
We provide access to our activities without regard to race, color, national orgin (including
language), age, sex, religion, or disability. Write or call our department Affirmative Action Officer
at P.O. Box 3378, Honolulu, HI 96801-3378,or 808-586-4614 (voice) within 180 days of a problem
