BILL NUMBER: S1900

SPONSOR: STAVISKY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to allowing
severely disabled individuals to renew parking permits without providing
updated medical records

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of the bill is to end the burdensome and unnecessary prac-
tice whereby an individual with a permanent disability, as determined by
their treating physician, is required to re-prove they are disabled when
renewing a disability parking permit.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Amends section 1023-a of the vehicle and traffic law by
adding a new subdivision i-a to provide that any resident of New York
State who is a severely disabled person, as defined in subdivision 4 of
section 404-a of the vehicle and traffic law, shall not be required to
              

provide updated medical records upon application for renewal of a disa-
bility parking permit issued by their locality or by the State of New
York.

Section 2. Sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Anyone with a permanent disability, as determined by their treating
physician, should not have to re-prove they are disabled when renewing
their disability parking permit. In most cases, neither insurance nor
workers compensation will cover the cost of MRIs, X-rays, or additional
services needed to show permanent damage once the initial determination
of permanency has been made. Forcing permanently disabled New Yorkers to
produce these documents year after year when there is no expectation for
improvement is an undue and unjust burden. New Yorkers who previously
have been approved for disability parking permits, some for many years,
are receiving denials for their permit renewals due to lack of proof and
supporting documentation, even though their treating physicians have
determined they have a permanent disability.

This bill would ensure that no person with a permanent disability, as
determined by their treating physician, shall be forced to provide
updated medical records to their locality of residence or the State of
New York when renewing a disability parking permit. In the event that
the treating physician has not classified an individual's disability as
permanent, the requirements and evidence threshold may proceed as is.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-2022: A.6569/S.6637 - Referred to Higher Education.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.