Bill > A3227

Introduced Session

This bill would phase in the use of revised symbols and words on all signs, placards, license plates, and other devices used to identify for the general public accessible features designed or designated for the use of persons with disabilities, such as restrooms, access ramps, and parking spaces. The bill would additionally require that all such signs, placards, license plates, and other devices use the word "accessible" in place of the word "handicapped." This legislation would be part of a growing national and international movement to replace the current international symbol of access, which some advocates suggest conveys a sense of passivity and emphasizes the wheelchair over the person, with a new symbol of access that emphasizes the person in a dynamic posture suggesting mobility, action, and determination. This bill is based on legislation enacted by New York State and Connecticut adopting the phased-in use of the revised symbol of access. The revised symbol has been additionally adopted by towns and cities including El Paso, Texas and Cambridge, Massachusetts, as well as by businesses, universities, hospitals, religious organizations, museums, and other organizations in at least 10 different states; those adopting the revised symbol of access include such diverse groups as the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cigna, and a hospital located in India. The Accessible Icon Project has taken a leading role in promoting and supporting the adoption of the revised symbol of access, an example of which can be found on the Project's website. In place of the wheelchair symbol currently used as the international symbol of access, accessibility signs, placards, license plates, and other markers would use a logo depicting a dynamic character leaning forward with a sense of movement. The bill would require this logo to be readily identifiable, simply designed with no secondary meaning, and provide for equivalent facilitation and accessibility as the wheelchair symbol currently in use. This bill would only apply to new signs, placards, license plates, and other devices being installed or replaced on or after the effective date of the bill, which would be the 60th day after the date of enactment. Because it would only apply to signs, placards, license plates, and other devices that are newly-installed or that are being replaced, this bill will not impose any new or additional costs on the State above those it would normally incur installing new and replacement signs, placards, license plates, and other devices.

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Ronald Dancer (R)*,  Carol Murphy (D)*,  Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Human Services Committee (on 02/25/2020)