In an effort to improve parking access for disabled people, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Division of Motor Vehicle Licensing is creating new handicap placards aimed at reducing instances of fraud.

“We’re hoping to ensure that (disabled populations) have accessibility to parking spaces that really should be reserved for them,” KYTC Public Affairs Executive Director Naitore Djigbenou said.

House Bill 8, which the General Assembly approved, implements several new rules regarding the placard design, software system and functionality.

For both temporary and permanent placards, the new decals will feature printed expiration dates as opposed to handwritten dates – which could easily be altered – and will be tied to an individual instead of a vehicle. In addition, a disabled person’s parents or guardians can now apply on behalf of the disabled person.

Permanent placards will now be valid for six years and will expire on the placard holders’ birth month to maximize convenience.

“The extended renewal cycle of permanent placards from two years to six years called for a more durable material to handle normal wear and tear and regular transfer between vehicles,” DMV Regulation Commissioner Matt Henderson said in a news release. “Software changes are complete and the remaining work is limited to procedural changes, printing and distributing the new placards to all 120 counties.”

Replacement or duplicate placards will once again cost $10. A fee may not seem like it would reduce fraud, but, Kentucky in 2009 stopped charging for additional placards and within a year the number of placards issued surged from about 32,000 to more than 209,000.

That could have stemmed from the temptation to share the placard with a family member who doesn’t need a placard, Djigbenou said.

“By imposing a fee, people will be less likely to request multiple placards unless there is a need for it,” she said.

Initial placards will still be issued at no cost, and temporary placards will remain valid for three months.

The Center for Accessible Living, an advocacy group that supported the bill, has been trying to pass this type of legislation for years, according to Djigbenou.

“They’ve been championing this kind of legislation because there’s been issues in the past,” she said. “People really need these confined parking spaces.”

The program will take effect Sept. 17.