Subcommittee drops 'permanent' language, advances bill letting physical therapists certify handicap placards

The Medical and Health Affairs Subcommittee voted unanimously to adopt an amendment to House Bill 3842 and then recommended the bill to the full committee.

House Bill 3842 would add language allowing a physical therapist to certify that an individual is handicapped and to indicate whether that handicap is temporary or permanent for purposes of an application for a handicap placard. At the meeting staff summarized the change and the subcommittee debated language clarifying the distinction between temporary and permanent certifications.

Trey, a staff member who summarized the bill for the subcommittee, told members that "H 3,842, adds that a physical therapist may certify that an individual is handicapped and declare that the handicap is temporary or permanent for purposes of the individual's application for a handicap placard." Trey later described the amendment under consideration, saying, "The amendment simply strikes the words or permanent from the bill as it currently reads." Representative Scott Montgomery asked a clarifying question about the meaning of "temporary," and the chair noted that the DMV application referenced in committee discussion had "a minimum of 4 up to 12," but the transcript did not specify units for that range.

After brief discussion the subcommittee adopted the amendment by roll call. The clerk recorded unanimous support: Representatives Thomas Beach, Celeste Davis, Chris Hart, Scott Montgomery and Subcommittee Chair Heath Sessions voted yes on the amendment. The body then moved the previous question on the bill as amended and, by roll call, the same members voted to recommend the bill favorably to the full committee. The clerk announced, "All are in favor of the bill as amended."

The committee record shows the change made by the amendment (removing the word "permanent") and the subcommittee's favorable recommendation; no other changes or conditions were recorded. The transcript does not specify any further steps or a timetable for full-committee consideration.

Copies of the bill text, the adopted amendment, and the DMV-related clarification raised during questioning were not entered into the transcript record at the hearing.