Disabled parking placard bill awaits Gov. Quinn's signature
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- Illinois veterans with permanent disabilities may soon have an easier time renewing their accessible parking placard.
The disabled parking placard bill passed in Springfield last month. It now awaits Gov. Pat Quinn's signature, which could happen soon.
"This is definitely going to make it easier for our veterans, for our wounded warriors who come home to essentially get rid of one hurdle that they have to struggle with," said Illinois State Sen. Tom Cullerton, a veteran.
Cullerton introduced the bill early this year. The disabled veterans placard bill changes the requirement for veterans with permanent disabilities to show evidence of disability when re-applying for parking placards.
"I think it can be very demoralizing, especially since you have to keep filling out the same form and nothing has changed," said Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth.
"Once you have already certified and you have the doctor's note that you are mobility impaired, why do you have to keep re-certifying that, especially when you get checked out by the VA every single year anyway?" Duckworth said. "Especially when the impairment is so obvious."
Cullerton said no one has opposed this bill.
"I worked incredibly well with the Secretary of State's Office," Cullerton said. "The VFW was a big supporter of the bill as well as the American Legions, so local veterans organizations thought this was a great idea as well, and they're going to help us dispense the information to everybody.
"It's amazing we got it though the House pretty quickly, through the Senate pretty quickly 55-0, and then it went through the House 113-0, so now we just waiting for the governor to sign," he said.
A 30-day waiting period from the day it passed both the House and Senate is required before the governor can sign it.
Both Duckworth and Cullerton said Illinois will be the first state do enact such a bill. For more information, visit www.SenatorTomCullerton.com or www.duckworth.house.gov.
