Legislation permits optometrists to certify vision related disabilities
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed into law a bill authored by State Senator Martin Malave Dilan (D-Bushwick). The legislation, S.1340A [4], permits licensed optometrists to certify a vision related disability for the purposes of receiving a handicap license plate from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Under the old law, physicians, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, and podiatrists were the only individuals able to certify eligible disabilities. Now, optometrists can certify handicap license plate eligibility for those suffering from eye related disabilities. The plate can be issued to a vehicle owned by the disabled individual or family member and the use of the plates to park in specially marked spaces is only authorized when the disabled individual is present.
“This is a common sense law that will allow duly licensed optometrists to certify a vision related disability – thereby simplifying the process of attaining handicap license plates for those with very low vision and blindness,” said Senator Dilan.
The legislation makes it clear that optometrists will only be able to certify disabilities relating to the eye. Often individuals suffering from eye conditions visit an optometrist as their primary eye care provider and this change in law will save them an extra step in the process.
“I would like to thank the Governor for signing this into law and for his support of those suffering from vision impairments. Together we have successfully cut a red tape provision and made the lives of many New Yorkers that much simpler,” concluded Senator Dilan.
