An Act To Allow Lifetime Disability Plates or Placards for Eligible Applicants with Lower Limb Loss
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §521, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2011, c. 23, §1, is further amended to read:
5. Application; issuance. An application for a disability plate or placard must be accompanied by the certificate of a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or registered nurse attesting to that person's physical disability as defined in subsection 1. The Secretary of State shall issue to an eligible applicant disability plates and windshield placards upon request. Proof of a disability must be submitted every 4 years on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State except when the physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or registered nurse certifies the disability as permanent or except when an eligible applicant requests that the disability plate or placard expire upon the expiration date of that person's driver's license or nondriver identification card issued by this State, whichever is applicable. When the Secretary of State determines the disability to be permanent from the application, the disability plate or placard expires upon the expiration date of that person’s driver’s license or nondriver identification card issued by this State. The applicant is not required to continue to provide proof of disability upon renewal of the applicant's disability plate or placard. When the Secretary of State determines the disability results from the loss of all or part of one or both of the lower limbs, not including a partial foot amputation, the disability plate or placard does not expire during the lifetime of the eligible applicant. When the applicant's need for the disability plate or placard terminates or the applicant dies, the plate or placard must be immediately returned to the Secretary of State. Notwithstanding subsection 2, paragraphs B and C, the provisions of this subsection, as regards the issuance of a disability plate or placard for a person with a permanent disability, apply only to that person.
SUMMARY
This bill provides that the disability plate or placard for a person with loss of all or part of one or both lower limbs does not expire during the eligible applicant's lifetime.