By Kelsie Jennings
KU Statehouse Wire Service
TOPEKA — Some disabled Kansas veterans and legislators are working on a bill that would allow disabled veterans to have free access to public parking garages and public parking lots with attendants.
The House Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security committee heard testimonies Thursday from disabled veterans for House Bill 2006, which would allow veterans, who are 50 percent or more disabled, to park in public spaces without being charged.
There are 5,354 vehicles in Kansas that are registered with disabled veteran license plates, according to the Division of Vehicles.
One disabled veteran David Brader, once had to go to the KU Medical Center emergency room because of a blood clot in his leg, but wasn’t able to find an available handicap parking spot. He had to park in the parking garage across the street. Although the availability of handicap spots can’t be controlled because they’re first-come first-serve, Brader hopes HB 2006 will make parking easier for disabled veterans.
“A lot of people look at me and think I’m healthy, (but) I’ve definitely got issues,” Brader said.
Brader is also the department adjutant for the Kansas Department of Disabled American Veterans. He said disabled veterans can park in handicap parking spots if they have a placard that hangs from the vehicle’s rearview mirror or if they have a handicap tag. The new license plates would indicate the vehicle belongs to a disabled veteran.
Another disabled veteran who spoke at the hearing, Commander Blas Ortiz of the Disabled American Veterans of Kansas, said some veterans travel to conventions several times a year and can’t afford to have their car parked at the airport.
During the committee hearing, one legislator said that if the veterans are using their placards, then there shouldn’t be a problem with parking in the handicapped spots, but the vice chairman of the committee, Rep. Les Osterman, (R – Wichita), who is also a disabled veteran, said he still has to pay for parking at airports even though he has a placard. He’s also had to pay for handicapped parking at arenas such as Intrust Bank in Wichita.
“If you don’t pay your $10, you don’t get to park there,” Osterman said.
Despite the trouble that disabled veterans have had with pay parking, Osterman said the city of Wichita is working with them.
Osterman said that metered parking is already free for disabled veterans because of a previous law, but that this bill would cover parking garages and public parking lots. He said the committee will likely discuss the bill further next Thursday.
Kelsie Jennings is a University of Kansas senior from Olathe, Kan., majoring in journalism.