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Committee hears bill to let physical therapists certify disability parking placards, sponsor to redraft a recertification amendment
Summary
House Bill 11‑38 would add physical therapists to the list of professionals who may certify disability parking placards; an amendment reducing recertification intervals to six months generated debate, DFA asked to review code references and fiscal impacts, and the sponsor agreed to pull the bill for further work.
Representative Torres presented House Bill 11‑38 to allow physical therapists to certify disability‑parking status, expanding the class of health professionals authorized to make temporary and permanent certification. Torres said 37 other states allow physical therapists to sign such certifications and that the measure would improve access and reduce burdens on patients.
The committee considered an amendment that would require recertification every six months for temporary conditions (instead of the formerly longer interval). Several members expressed concern six months might be too short and asked whether three months (the current temporary certificate period) or a longer interval would be preferable. Representative Beatty said moving from a four‑year period to six months could create burdens for patients who genuinely need longer recovery periods; others argued six months was reasonable for many rehabilitative conditions.
A witness with a doctorate in physical therapy, Arthur Hulbert, told the committee physical therapists routinely treat mobility deficits and that the profession’s training makes them appropriate certifiers; he said the intent is to free up permanent placards for those with lifelong disabilities while allowing temporary certification for short‑term impairments.
DFA counsel Alicia Austin Smith testified the amendment appeared to target a different section of code (temporary special certificates) and asked for time to issue an amended fiscal impact statement and to confirm which statutory section should be revised. The sponsor agreed to pull the bill to work with DFA and other stakeholders on language and fiscal scoring.
An amendment had been adopted in committee before DFA raised the code‑section concern; the sponsor then requested to withdraw the bill to address drafting and fiscal questions. The committee granted the request and the bill will be redrafted and refiled later.
