Pennsylvania: Bogus Parking Tickets Upset Legislators

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2/3/2008

Pennsylvania: Bogus Parking Tickets Upset Legislators
Pennsylvania lawmakers introduce legislation to deal with bogus parking tickets.

Representative Ron Miller

Several Pennsylvania state legislators are tired of hearing complaints from constituents about bogus parking tickets. State Representative Stan Saylor (R-York) is calling for an investigation of the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) after the agency's meter maids insisted a wheelchair-bound man, Frank Pinola, failed to feed a parking meter on June 21 and July 30. Before the issue drew public attention, the PPA had demanded $92 from Pinola, who was not driving on those occasions.

"It truly shows in my opinion it's not just a mistake," Representative Saylor told WHP-TV. "There's some fraud in my personal opinion and I hate to say it about a government agency, but it surely looks that way."

PPA officials told WHP that Pinola's license plate, the single letter "P," confused the agency's parking computers. Although they will cancel the fines, state Representative Ron Miller (R-Jacobus) thinks this does not go far enough. He introduced legislation in December that would cancel any parking ticket not accompanied by photographic evidence.

"The volume of calls that my office has received concerning parking tickets, many from Philadelphia, written on vehicles that were not in the jurisdiction on the date mentioned brought about the need for this bill," Miller said in a statement. "My legislation will force law enforcement authorities to provide visual proof of the presence of the offending parties."

Miller's measure does not authorized automated parking ticket cameras. Rather, it forces meter maids to document alleged violations with a digital camera. Parking tickets would be issued in the normal way, but photographs would be mailed to motorists only if a second notice of non-payment is issued. Tickets not accompanied by a photo would be automatically dismissed. The bill has twenty-five co-sponsors.

Article Excerpt:

Pennsylvania General Assembly
HOUSE BILL
No. 2107 Session of 2007

INTRODUCED BY R. MILLER, ARGALL, BARRAR, BOYD, CAPPELLI, CAUSER, CREIGHTON, DENLINGER, GINGRICH, HARRIS, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HORNAMAN, KAUFFMAN, MELIO, MILNE, MOUL, MYERS, PHILLIPS, READSHAW, ROHRER, RUBLEY, SAYLOR, YOUNGBLOOD, PETRONE AND GEIST, DECEMBER 7, 2007

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, DECEMBER 7, 2007

AN ACT

Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for special procedures pertaining to issuance of parking tickets.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 3355. Special procedure for parking tickets.
(a) Digital photograph required.--At the time a parking ticket is issued, the person issuing the ticket shall take a digital photograph clearly depicting the rear of the ticketed vehicle and all registration information on the vehicle's registration plate. The photograph shall be attached to the municipality's copy of the parking ticket.

(b) Attachment of photograph.--If a parking ticket is unpaid and a second notice to the owner of the ticketed vehicle is issued, a copy of the photograph required by subsection (a) shall be attached to the second notice.

(c) Failure to comply with section.--Failure of a municipality to comply with the provisions of this section shall render the parking ticket void.
Section 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2008.

Source: More Traffic Ticket Problems (WHP-TV (PA), 1/17/2008)

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