Representative Miles proposes legislator license plate with disability designation; committee amends effective date

Representative Miles introduced House Bill 1380, proposing a version of the legislator specialty plate that includes a disability designation so qualifying legislators could display the equivalent of a handicap placard on their legislative tag.

Miles, who identified himself as a 100% disabled military veteran, said he had received parking citations even while displaying a placard and that a plate with a disability designation would reduce confusion and avoid repeated enforcement contacts. “When I first came to this house, I'm a 100% disabled military veteran,” Miles said, recounting past tickets he said he had to resolve despite showing his placard.

Members asked whether applicants would still have to meet the standard medical verification required for handicap credentials and whether the plate would add an extra manufacturing charge. Miles said applicants would follow the same medical verification process and that the manufacturing fee would be the usual one-time plate cost rather than an ongoing surcharge; he also said the Department of Revenue can vary minimum print quantities to accommodate smaller runs.

Committee members moved and seconded an amendment to change the bill’s effective date to Jan. 1, 2027, at the Department of Revenue’s request to allow time to implement production and issuance. The committee approved the amendment on a voice vote and then passed the bill as amended on a subsequent voice vote. The motion and votes were recorded by voice; no roll-call tally was provided in the committee record.

The bill will move forward following the committee’s approval.