Proposal for online handicapped parking permit applications advanced

A trip to the county courthouse would no longer be necessary to apply for a handicap parking permit under a bill receiving general file approval Feb. 4.

Current law requires handicapped permit applicants to collect from their county office or the state Department of Motor Vehicles a form that is completed by their physician for verification purposes and then processed by the department.

LB163, introduced by Valentine Sen. Deb Fischer, would require the state Department of Motor Vehicles to establish by Jan. 1, 2013, an electronic system for processing applications for handicapped or disabled parking permits. Under the bill, renewals for handicapped parking permits could be made within 180 days of their expiration, instead of the 30-day limit imposed by current law.

“[LB163] will make the handicapped parking permit application process much easier for the individual and streamline the process internally at the DMV, resulting in cost savings to the state and more efficient use of state resources,” Fischer said.

The bill also would extend the renewal period for permanent handicapped parking permits from three years to six years and change a provision of law that prohibits a person from holding more than one permit tag to allow up to two tags.

The extension to six years would mirror the recertification period for handicap parking plates, Fischer said, and the provision authorizing a second tag is meant to accommodate travelers.

Finally, the bill would call for an additional medical certification if a permit holder requests more than two replacement tags in a six-year period.

LB163 was advanced from general file 30-0, as was its accompanying appropriation bill.

The appropriation bill was needed to fund one-time setup costs of $38,000 to be incurred by the DMV to design and implement the online application system, Fischer said, but ongoing savings of the new system are expected to be $45,000 annually.