Bill Providing Parking Perk to Vets Heads to the Senate for Review
(TRENTON) – The General Assembly approved Monday legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Wayne P. DeAngelo and Cleopatra Tucker that would exempt disabled veterans and Purple Heart medal recipients from having to feed municipal parking meters.
“A Purple Heart recipient has literally stood in harm’s way to protect our country and, more often than not, bears the crippling, life changing scars to prove it,” said DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “Letting them not have to worry about feeding the meter when street parking is just another small nod we can give to the sacrifices they’ve made while defending our freedom.”
Under the bill (A-219) any person who is a disabled veteran or a recipient of a Purple Heart would be exempted from having to pay for parking at municipal parking meters, provided the veteran is the driver or passenger and the vehicle in question displays the state’s disabled veteran or Purple Heart specialty license plate. This exemption would not apply to vehicles parked in the same spot for more than 24 hours.
“Coming back from a war-zone wounded is a life-altering experience,” said Tucker (D-Essex), the committee chairwoman. “Men and women that left New Jersey whole and healthy are returning missing limbs, blinded, deafened or worse. When traveling to rebuild and reclaim their lives stateside, they shouldn’t have to worry about whether they have the change to pay for parking.”
The bill passed 76-0 and now, heads to the Senate for further action.