Legislation to Aid Disabled Taxicab Riders Passes Transportation Committees in State Assembly and Senate

January 7, 2016

MADISON – Today, the Senate Committee on Transportation and Veterans Affairs passed SB 275, the companion bill to AB 358, which was passed by the Assembly Committee on Transportation last month with overwhelming bi-partisan support. AB 358/ SB 275 was authored by Representative Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) and Senator Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon) to fix a loophole in state law that prohibits a taxicab from pulling into a disabled parking space to load an individual with a disability, even if it is the only accessible place for the individual to enter the cab.

“This issue came to my attention after a constituent with a disability could not be picked up by a taxi in a parking spot designated for disabled individuals because state law did not allow the taxi to do so,” said Representative Lisa Subeck. “AB 358/SB 275 is a simple fix to state law to remove a barrier for individuals with disabilities who utilize taxicabs for transportation.”

AB 358/SB 275 was crafted with the help of the Council on Physical Disabilities Transportation and Parking Committee, a coalition of organizations and individuals impacted by and providing advocacy around disabled transportation and parking matters. In addition to the Council on Physical Disabilities, the bill has also received support from the Wisconsin Association of Taxicab Owners, Wisconsin Coordinated Transportation Cooperative, Specialized Medical Vehicle Association of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired, and the National Association of Social Workers - Wisconsin Chapter.

“Today’s vote by the Senate Committee on Transportation and Veterans Affairs puts us one step closer to ensuring that those with disabilities have barrier-free access to transportation options,” said Rep. Subeck.

AB 358 and SB 275 are now both available to be scheduled for a vote before the full Assembly and full Senate.