(a) For the purposes of this section:

(1) “Special license plate” means a license plate displaying the symbol of access in a size identical to that of the letters or numerals on the plate and in a color that contrasts with the background color of the plate;

(2) “Removable windshield placard” means a two-sided, hanger-style placard which bears on both of its sides: (A) The symbol of access in a height of three inches or more centered on such placard and colored white on a blue background; (B) a unique identification number; (C) a date of expiration; and (D) a statement indicating that the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles issued such placard;

(3) “Temporary removable windshield placard” means a placard that is the same as a removable windshield placard except that the symbol of access appears on a red background;

(4) “Person with disabilities” means a person with disabilities which limit or impair the ability to walk, as defined in 23 C.F.R. § 1235.2; and

(5) “Symbol of access” means the symbol designated by the Commissioner of Administrative Services pursuant to § 29-269b used to indicate access for persons with disabilities.

(b) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall accept applications and renewal applications for removable windshield placards from (1) any person who is blind, as defined in § 1-1f; (2) any person with disabilities; (3) any parent or guardian of any person who is blind or any person with disabilities, if such person is under eighteen years of age at the time of application; (4) any parent or guardian of any person who is blind or any person with disabilities, if such person is unable to request or complete an application; and (5) any organization which meets criteria established by the commissioner and which certifies to the commissioner’s satisfaction that the vehicle for which a placard is requested is primarily used to transport persons who are blind or persons with disabilities. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, on and after October 1, 2011, the commissioner shall not accept applications for special license plates, but shall accept renewal applications for such plates that were issued prior to October 1, 2011. No person shall be issued a placard in accordance with this section unless such person is the holder of a valid motor vehicle operator’s license, or identification card issued in accordance with the provisions of § 1-1h. The commissioner is authorized to adopt regulations for the issuance of placards to persons who, by reason of hardship, do not hold or cannot obtain an operator’s license or identification card. The commissioner shall maintain a record of each placard issued to any such person. Such applications and renewal applications shall be on a form prescribed by the commissioner. The application and renewal application shall include: (A) Certification by a licensed physician, a physician assistant, an advanced practice registered nurse licensed in accordance with the provisions of chapter 378, or a member of the driver training unit for persons with disabilities established pursuant to § 14-11b, that the applicant meets the definition of a person with a disability which limits or impairs the ability to walk, as defined in 23 C.F.R. § 1235.2; or (B) certification by a psychiatrist who is employed by, or under contract with, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs that the applicant (i) is a veteran, as defined in subsection (a) of § 27-103, who has post-traumatic stress disorder certified as service-connected by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and (ii) meets the definition of a person with a disability which limits or impairs the ability to walk, as defined in 23 C.F.R. § 1235.2. In the case of persons who are blind, the application or renewal application shall include certification of legal blindness made by the Department of Aging and Disability Services, an ophthalmologist or an optometrist. Any person who makes a certification required by this subsection shall sign the application or renewal application under penalty of false statement pursuant to § 53a-157b. The commissioner, in said commissioner’s discretion, may accept the discharge papers of a disabled veteran, as defined in § 14-254, in lieu of such certification. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may require additional certification at the time of the original application or at any time thereafter. If a person who has been requested to submit additional certification fails to do so within thirty days of the request, or if such additional certification is deemed by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to be unfavorable to the applicant, the commissioner may refuse to issue or, if already issued, suspend or revoke such special license plate or placard. The commissioner shall not issue more than one placard per applicant, except the commissioner shall issue one placard to each applicant who is a parent or guardian of any person who is blind or any person with disabilities, provided no more than two such placards shall be issued on behalf of such person. The fee for the issuance of a temporary removable windshield placard shall be five dollars. Any person whose application has been denied or whose special license plate or placard has been suspended or revoked shall be afforded an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54.

(c) Any person who meets the requirements to obtain a removable windshield placard pursuant to subsection (b) of this section and who has a motorcycle registered in such person’s name shall be issued, upon approval of the application, number plates in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of § 14-21b, which shall bear letters or numerals or any combination thereof followed by the symbol of access. The registration of any motorcycle for which a special license plate is issued shall expire and be renewed as provided in § 14-22 and be subject to the fee provisions of § 14-49. No person shall be issued such number plates for the registration of more than two motorcycles. Any person eligible to obtain a special license plate pursuant to this section who transfers the expired registration of a motorcycle owned by such person and replaces such number plate with a special license plate shall be exempt from payment of any fee for such transfer or replacement. A person who obtains a special plate or plates under this subsection may also obtain a removable windshield placard in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.

(d) Any placard issued pursuant to this section shall be displayed by hanging it from the front windshield rearview mirror of the vehicle when utilizing a parking space reserved for persons who are blind and persons with disabilities. If there is no rearview mirror in such vehicle, the placard shall be displayed in clear view on the dashboard of such vehicle.

(e) Vehicles displaying a special license plate or a placard issued pursuant to this section or by authorities of other states or countries for the purpose of identifying vehicles permitted to utilize parking spaces reserved for persons who are blind and persons with disabilities, shall be allowed to park in an area where parking is legally permissible, for an unlimited period of time without penalty, notwithstanding the period of time indicated as lawful by any (1) parking meter, or (2) sign erected and maintained in accordance with the provisions of chapter 249, provided the operator of or a passenger in such motor vehicle is a person who is blind or a person with disabilities. A placard shall not be displayed on any motor vehicle when such vehicle is not being operated by or carrying as a passenger a person who is blind or a person with disabilities to whom the placard was issued. Vehicles bearing a special license plate shall not utilize parking spaces reserved for persons who are blind and persons with disabilities or the cross hatch abutting such spaces when such vehicles are not being operated by or carrying as a passenger a person who is blind or a person with disabilities to whom such special license plate was issued.

(f) Only motor vehicles displaying a plate or placard issued pursuant to this section shall be authorized to (1) park in public or private areas reserved for exclusive use by persons who are blind or persons with disabilities, and (2) to use the cross hatch abutting such areas, except that any ambulance, as defined in § 19a-175, which is transporting a patient may park in such area for a period not to exceed fifteen minutes while assisting such patient. Any motor vehicle parked or using the cross hatch in violation of the provisions of this subsection for the third or subsequent time shall be subject to being towed from such designated area. Such vehicle shall be impounded until payment of any fines incurred is received. No person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of leasing or renting motor vehicles without drivers in this state may be held liable for any acts of the lessee constituting a violation of the provisions of this subsection. Any municipal police officer who observes a motor vehicle parked in violation of this subsection shall issue a written warning or a summons for such violation.

(g) The Office of the State Traffic Administration, on any state highway, or local traffic authority, on any highway or street under its control, shall establish parking spaces in parking areas for twenty or more cars in which parking shall be prohibited to all motor vehicles except vehicles displaying a special license plate or a placard issued pursuant to this section. Parking spaces in which parking shall be prohibited to all motor vehicles except vehicles displaying such special plate or placard shall be established in private parking areas for two hundred or more cars according to the following schedule:

All such spaces shall be designated as reserved for exclusive use by persons who are blind and persons with disabilities and identified by the use of signs in accordance with subsection (h) of this section. Such parking spaces shall be adjacent to curb cuts or other unobstructed methods permitting sidewalk access to a person who is blind or a person with disabilities and shall be fifteen feet wide, including three feet of cross hatch, or be parallel to a sidewalk. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply (1) in the event the State Building Code imposes more stringent requirements as to the size of the private parking area in which special parking spaces are required or as to the number of special parking spaces required, or (2) in the event a municipal ordinance imposes more stringent requirements as to the size of existing private parking areas in which special parking spaces are required or as to the number of special parking spaces required.

(h) Parking spaces designated for persons who are blind and persons with disabilities on or after October 1, 1979, and prior to October 1, 2004, shall be as near as possible to a building entrance or walkway and shall be fifteen feet wide including three feet of cross hatch, or parallel to a sidewalk on a public highway. On and after October 1, 2017, parking spaces for passenger motor vehicles designated for persons who are blind and persons with disabilities shall be as near as possible to a building entrance or walkway and shall be fifteen feet wide including five feet of cross hatch or parallel to a sidewalk on a public highway. On and after October 1, 2017, parking spaces for passenger vans designated for persons who are blind and persons with disabilities shall be as near as possible to a building entrance or walkway and shall be sixteen feet wide including eight feet of cross hatch or parallel to a sidewalk on a public highway. Such spaces shall be designated by above grade signs with white lettering against a blue background and shall bear the words “handicapped parking permit required” and “violators will be fined”. Such signs shall also bear the international symbol of access. Whenever such a sign is replaced, repaired or erected it shall bear the words “reserved parking permit required” and “violators will be fined”, bear the symbol of access and indicate the minimum fine for a violation of subsection (f) of this section. Such indicator may be in the form of a notice affixed to such a sign.

(i) Any public parking garage or terminal, as defined in the State Building Code, constructed under a building permit application filed on or after October 1, 1985, and prior to October 1, 2004, shall have nine feet six inches’ vertical clearance at a primary entrance and along the route to at least two parking spaces which conform with the requirements of subsection (h) of this section and which have nine feet six inches’ vertical clearance unless an exemption has been granted pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of § 29-269. Each public parking garage or terminal, as defined in the State Building Code, constructed under a building permit application filed on or after October 1, 2004, shall have eight feet two inches’ vertical clearance at a primary entrance and along the route to at least two parking spaces for passenger vans which conform with the requirements of subsection (h) of this section and which have eight feet two inches’ vertical clearance unless an exemption has been granted pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of § 29-269.

(j) The commissioner may suspend or revoke any plate or placard issued pursuant to this section when, after affording the person to whom such plate or placard was issued an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with chapter 54, the commissioner or his representative determines that such person has used or permitted the use of such plate or placard in a manner which violates the provisions of this section.

(k) Nothing in this section may be construed to allow a person who is blind or a person with disabilities who is a bona fide resident of the state to park in a public or private area reserved for the exclusive use of persons who are blind and persons with disabilities as provided in this section if such person does not display upon or within his vehicle a plate or placard issued pursuant to this section.

(l) (1) Any person who violates any provision of this section for which a penalty or fine is not otherwise provided shall, for a first violation, be subject to a fine of two hundred fifty dollars, and for a subsequent violation, be subject to a fine of five hundred dollars.

(2) No owner or lessee of a private parking area subject to the requirements of this section, or an agent of such owner or lessee, shall dump, or allow any other person to dump, or otherwise place accumulated snow in a special parking space reserved as required in this section. Any owner, lessee or agent who violates the provisions of this subdivision shall, for a first violation, be subject to a fine of two hundred fifty dollars, and for a subsequent violation, be subject to a fine of five hundred dollars.

(m) Any placard or special license plate issued pursuant to this section shall be returned to the commissioner upon the subsequent change of residence to another state or death of the person to whom such placard or license plate was issued. Any person who uses a placard or a special license plate issued pursuant to this section after the death of the person to whom such placard or special license plate was issued shall be fined five hundred dollars.

(n) The commissioner shall develop a procedure for the renewal of existing placards. The procedure may be implemented over a period of several years. Any renewal of such placards shall require the issuance of a new placard in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(o) The commissioner shall periodically check the Department of Public Health’s state registration of deaths and shall cancel any placard issued to an individual identified in such registry as deceased.

(p) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to carry out the provisions of this chapter and to establish a uniform system for the issuance, renewal and regulation of special license plates, removable windshield placards and temporary removable windshield placards. Such plates and placards shall be used only by persons to whom such plates and placards are issued.