Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Transportation Committee
HB 1371
Brief Description: Concerning parking privileges for veterans.
Sponsors: Representatives Orcutt, Klicker, Couture, Jacobsen, Leavitt, Ley, Simmons, Shavers and Dufault.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Establishes eligibility for parking privileges for people with disabilities for veterans who have received a qualifying discharge with a 70 percent disability rating from the United States (US) Armed Forces or the US Department of Veteran's Affairs and who use a service animal.
Hearing Date: 1/23/25
Staff: Jennifer Harris (786-7143).
Background:

People who meet one of the following criteria may apply for special parking privileges for individuals with disabilities:

  • cannot walk 200 feet without stopping or resting;
  • is severely limited in ability to walk due to arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition;
  • requires the use of or assistance from a brace, cane, another person, prosthetic device, wheelchair, or other assistive device to walk;
  • uses portable oxygen;
  • is restricted by lung disease to an extent that forced expiratory respiratory volume is affected in certain specified ways;
  • is impaired by cardiovascular disease or cardiac condition resulting in certain specified functional limitations;
  • has a disability resulting from an acute sensitivity to automobile emissions that limits or impairs the ability to walk, and the disability is comparable to other qualifying disabilities;
  • has limited mobility and no vision, or whose vision with corrective lenses is so limited that the person requires alternative methods or skills to efficiently do things;
  • has an eye condition of a progressive nature that may lead to blindness; or
  • is restricted by a form of porphyria to the extent that the applicant would significantly benefit from a decrease in exposure to light.

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The disability must be determined by a licensed physician, a licensed advanced registered nurse practitioner, or a licensed physician's assistant.? A health care practitioner with prescriptive authority must provide a signed written authorization on tamper-resistant prescription pad or paper or by electronic means.

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Parking privileges for persons with disabilities must be renewed at least every five years.
Summary of Bill:

Veterans who have received a qualifying discharge with a 70 percent disability rating from the United States (US) Armed Forces or the US Department of Veteran's Affairs and use a service animal, as service animal as defined in federal law, is eligible to apply for special parking privileges for individuals with disabilities.? To obtain or renew special parking privileges, the applicant must provide proof that the above criteria have been met.

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A service animal is defined in federal law as any dog that is individually trained to do work or to perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.? The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual's disability.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.