Report 2016-121 All Recommendation Responses

Report 2016-121: Department of Motor Vehicles: Administrative and Statutory Changes Will Improve Its Ability to Detect and Deter Misuse of Disabled Person Parking Placards (Release Date: April 2017)

Recommendation for Legislative Action

To increase DMV oversight of applications for placards or plates, the Legislature should modify current law to require DMV to conduct at least quarterly audits of a selection of applications for disabled placards or plates and to seek the health boards' cooperation in doing so.

Description of Legislative Action

Senate Bill 611 (Hill, Chapter 485, Statues of 2017) requires DMV to conduct a quarterly random audit of applications submitted for these plates or placards and to seek the assistance of the Medical Board of California or the appropriate regulatory boards in conducting the audits.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Legislation Enacted

Recommendation for Legislative Action

To better align the placard program with the needs of Californians with disabilities, the Legislature should amend state law to include podiatrists on the list of medical providers approved in state law to certify applications for disabilities related to their specialty.

Description of Legislative Action

Senate Bill 611 (Hill, Chapter 485, Statues of 2017) includes licensed podiatrists on the list of medical professionals authorized to provide disability certification.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Legislation Enacted

Recommendation for Legislative Action

To assist DMV in more accurately identifying deceased individuals with active permanent placards, the Legislature should amend state law to require DMV to use the U.S. Social Security Administration's Death Master File to inform its efforts to identify and cancel deceased individuals' placards.

Description of Legislative Action

Senate Bill 611 (Hill, Chapter 485, Statues of 2017) requires DMV to compare its record of issued placards against the Social Security Administration's Death Master File.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Legislation Enacted

Recommendation for Legislative Action

To assist DMV in identifying deceased placard holders, the Legislature should require that all individuals with permanent placards reapply every four years.

Description of Legislative Action

Senate Bill 611 (Hill, Chapter 485, Statues of 2017) requires DMV to send a renewal form, which would not require recertification of eligibility or proof of the applicant's true full name, to each placard holder every six years.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Legislation Enacted

Recommendation for Legislative Action

To assist DMV in identifying deceased placard holders, the Legislature should require that all who apply for a placard or a plate include their full legal name and date of birth, and provide satisfactory proof of this information at the time of application.

Description of Legislative Action

Senate Bill 611 (Hill, Chapter 485, Statues of 2017) requires an applicant for a special license plate, a distinguishing placard, or a temporary distinguishing placard to provide proof of his or her full legal name and date of birth at the time of application in a manner satisfactory to DMV.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Legislation Enacted

Recommendation for Legislative Action

To reduce the risk of placard misuse, the Legislature should limit to no more than two the number of replacements of permanent placards an individual may obtain during the two-year placard renewal period. The Legislature should require that those desiring replacements beyond that limit reapply and submit new certifications of disability.

Description of Legislative Action

Senate Bill 611 (Hill, Chapter 485, Statues of 2017) prohibits DMV from issuing more than four substitute placards to a placard holder in a two-year renewal period, and requires a placard holder who requires a substitute placard in excess of this limit to reapply for a new placard and submit a new certification of disability.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Legislation Enacted

Recommendation #7 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To reduce the risk of fraudulent applications, by September 2017 DMV should seek interagency agreements with the health boards responsible for licensing providers authorized to certify disabilities on placard applications. The agreements should include, but not be limited to, a review by medical experts of a sample of placard applications each quarter to ensure that the disability certifications meet state requirements. For any application that does not meet state requirements, DMV should require that the applicant and his or her provider submit the information needed so that the application meets state requirements. DMV should cancel the placards of those who do not respond within 90 days.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2020

Although we were unable to require the health boards to conduct quarterly reviews of placard applications, we are pleased to share that we have stood up a robust project to reduce the risk of fraudulent applications.

In 2020, the DMV Investigations Division created an internal data analytics team. One of the first data models focused on existing manual efforts to identify disabled person parking placard (DPPP) application fraud by leveraging available data resources. The model utilizes the department's existing DPPP database with millions of rows of data. Through analysis, the data is filtered by application year, geographic location of the medical provider and the applicant, along with the transaction type to identify investigative leads that may point to application and/or medical provider fraud.

The new data model has been tested. Part of the analytical process was to review initial DPPP applications for indicators of fraud, such as physician's location being significantly farther away from applicants' residential location. Other items analyzed and compared are the number of applications for DPPP that are signed by individual medical providers in a geographical location versus other like-medical providers. We are also comparing applicant and physician's handwriting on applications to identify similarities.

Now that this data model has been validated, data investigations by other DMV investigation offices across the state have been started.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Resolved

Although DMV did not implement the recommendation as stated because it was not able to secure agreements with health boards, DMV has instituted a process that, if followed, should enable it to identify and pursue fraudulent medical certifications on placard applications.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2019

DMV negotiated interagency agreements with the health boards, but the boards did not agree to conduct quarterly reviews of a sample of placard applications.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Will Not Implement

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2018

Over the course of the last year, DMV negotiated interagency agreements with the health boards, but the boards did not agree to conduct quarterly reviews of a sample of placard applications.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Will Not Implement

We are pleased that DMV was able to negotiate interagency agreements with the various health boards and hope that DMV will continue to discuss with the health boards the possibility of them reviewing sample applications periodically to ensure the disability certifications meet state requirements.

1-Year Agency Response

In November 2017, Legal Counsel at DCA requested changes to the interagency agreement language. In December 2017, changes were incorporated into a new version and routed back to DCA for final approval. After multiple discussions between DMV and DCA, the agreements are in the final stages of execution.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

6-Month Agency Response

DMV met with the executive officers of the various health boards responsible for licensing medical providers authorized to certify the disability of an applicant for a disabled person placard. The Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) is facilitating efforts to establish an Interagency Agreement with each of the boards that will govern execution of the activities recommended by the auditor.

A draft interagency agreement was completed and sent to the licensing boards on September 13, 2017, for concurrence. The Statement of Work for the various medical boards is complete, but the official completion date is being moved to December 31, 2017 to allow all of the affected boards under DCA time to officially adopt the agreements.

Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 611 on October 4, 2017. SB 611 incorporates many of the recommendations made to the Legislature in the California State Auditor audit report "Department of Motor Vehicles: Administrative and Statutory Changes Will Improve Its Ability to Detect and Deter Misuse of Disabled Person Parking Placards." DMV is currently working to implement the provisions of SB 611.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

DMV has identified the executive officers of the various health boards responsible for licensing medical providers authorized to certify the disability of an applicant for a disabled person placard, and sent a letter to the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) to seek DCA's cooperation in establishing an Interagency Agreement. The agreement will facilitate communications and the exchange of services between DMV, DCA, and the health boards responsible for licensing medical providers authorized to certify the disability of an applicant for a disabled person parking placard.

Under the proposed agreement, DMV will provide the health boards disabled person placard applications for review by the boards' designated medical experts to ensure the disability certifications meet statutory requirements. Upon notification by the health board, a placard will be canceled within 90 days when it is determined the application does not meet statutory requirements and the required information is not received by DMV.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Recommendation #8 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To reduce the risk of fraudulent applications, by September 2017 DMV should seek interagency agreements with the health boards responsible for licensing providers authorized to certify disabilities on placard applications. The agreements should include, but not be limited to, a process for the health boards to develop guidance for medical providers related to how to meet state requirements.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From July 2019

While interagency agreements with health boards have been put into place, the health boards did not agree to develop guidance. As an alternative remedy, DMV will instead develop guidance on the requirements of the program and provide it to the health boards for distribution to health providers, per the agreements negotiated with the boards.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2018

While interagency agreements with health boards have been put into place, the health boards did not agree to develop guidance. As an alternative remedy, DMV will instead develop guidance on the requirements of the program and provide it to the health boards for distribution to health providers, per the agreements negotiated with the boards.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented

1-Year Agency Response

In November 2017, Legal Counsel at DCA requested changes to the interagency agreement language. In December 2017, changes were incorporated into a new version and routed back to DCA for final approval. After multiple discussions between DMV and DCA, the agreements are in the final stages of execution.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

6-Month Agency Response

DMV met with the executive officers of the various health boards responsible for licensing medical providers authorized to certify the disability of an applicant for a disabled person placard. The Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) is facilitating efforts to establish an Interagency Agreement with each of the boards that will govern execution of the activities recommended by the auditor.

A draft interagency agreement was completed and sent to the licensing boards on September 13, 2017, for concurrence. The Statement of Work for the various medical boards is complete, but the official completion date is being moved to December 31, 2017 to allow all of the affected boards under DCA time to officially adopt the agreements.

Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 611 on October 4, 2017. SB 611 incorporates many of the recommendations made to the Legislature in the California State Auditor audit report "Department of Motor Vehicles: Administrative and Statutory Changes Will Improve Its Ability to Detect and Deter Misuse of Disabled Person Parking Placards." DMV is currently working to implement the provisions of SB 611.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

DMV has identified the executive officers of the various health boards responsible for licensing medical providers authorized to certify the disability of an applicant for a disabled person placard, and sent a letter to the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) to seek DCA's cooperation in establishing an Interagency Agreement. The agreement will facilitate communications and the exchange of services between DMV, DCA, and the health boards responsible for licensing medical providers authorized to certify the disability of an applicant for a disabled person parking placard.

DMV will work with the health boards in developing a process to provide guidance for medical providers on the requirements of the program.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Recommendation #9 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To reduce the risk of fraudulent applications, by September 2017 DMV should seek interagency agreements with the health boards responsible for licensing providers authorized to certify disabilities on placard applications. The agreements should include, but not be limited to, a process for obtaining copies of provider signatures and routinely comparing the signatures with those on a sample of placard applications. Investigations should confirm questionable signatures with providers.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2018

Interagency agreements have been established with each health board to provide DMV with copies of medical provider signatures. DMV compares signatures received from the health boards to the DMV signatures on file. Pursuant to the interagency agreement, the DMV provides to the health board reports on applications that are suspected to be falsely or fraudulently certified. The health boards agree to receive reports from the DMV and may take any action the health boards deem appropriate.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

1-Year Agency Response

In November 2017, Legal Counsel at DCA requested changes to the interagency agreement language. In December 2017, changes were incorporated into a new version and routed back to DCA for final approval. After multiple discussions between DMV and DCA, the agreements are in the final stages of execution.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

6-Month Agency Response

DMV met with the executive officers of the various health boards responsible for licensing medical providers authorized to certify the disability of an applicant for a disabled person placard. The Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) is facilitating efforts to establish an Interagency Agreement with each of the boards that will govern execution of the activities recommended by the auditor.

A draft interagency agreement was completed and sent to the licensing boards on September 13, 2017, for concurrence. The Statement of Work for the various medical boards is complete, but the official completion date is being moved to December 31, 2017 to allow all of the affected boards under DCA time to officially adopt the agreements.

Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 611 on October 4, 2017. SB 611 incorporates many of the recommendations made to the Legislature in the California State Auditor audit report "Department of Motor Vehicles: Administrative and Statutory Changes Will Improve Its Ability to Detect and Deter Misuse of Disabled Person Parking Placards." DMV is currently working to implement the provisions of SB 611.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

DMV has identified the executive officers of the various health boards responsible for licensing medical providers authorized to certify the disability of an applicant for a disabled person placard, and sent a letter to the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) to seek DCA's cooperation in establishing an Interagency Agreement. The agreement will facilitate communications and the exchange of services between DMV, DCA, and the health boards responsible for licensing medical providers authorized to certify the disability of an applicant for a disabled person parking placard.

The health boards will provide DMV copies of medical providers' signatures from official documents maintained by the boards. DMV investigators will compare the signatures with signatures on applications and confirm questionable signatures with medical providers.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Recommendation #10 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To help ensure that DMV approves only those applications that qualify for the placard program as specified in state law, by September 2017 and annually thereafter, DMV should provide additional direction and training to its staff that addresses the following program requirements: the types of medical providers that may certify qualifying disabilities, the disability categories each type of medical provider may certify, the legibility of medical provider certifications, and the entry of medical provider numbers into its registration system.

1-Year Agency Response

This recommendation has been fully implemented. The new procedures were released to staff in December 2017.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

DMV has updated its policy to communicate to staff information regarding medical providers, disability categories, application legibility, and medical provider numbers. According to DMV, staff receive training during weekly training and update meetings, during which supervisors walked staff through the policy changes. While DMV's response addresses our recommendation, we cannot determine the effectiveness of DMV's actions without conducting additional audit work.

6-Month Agency Response

A memo containing new procedures and instructions for staff handling disabled person applications was completed and ready for release; however, SB 611 will amend the underlying statutes and force a change to these procedures in January 2018. As a result, the department is amending the procedures to comply with SB 611. DMV is currently working to implement the provisions of SB 611. DMV anticipates release of the new procedures in December 2017.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

DMV is reviewing all existing policies and procedures related to the issuance of disabled person placards and license plates. Processing manuals and other user resources will be revised to ensure all elements recommended by the CSA are included. All related training manuals are being reviewed and will be revised to make improvements where necessary to include elements recommended by CSA. Additional training modules will be developed to aid DMV staff who process placard applications. A training video on the program will be produced and will explain the benefits, certification and application process, as well as potential penalties for the misuse of a placard.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Recommendation #11 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To identify potentially fraudulent applications, beginning immediately and quarterly thereafter, DMV Investigations should obtain placard application data from its registration system and analyze those data. At a minimum, this analysis should include a review of the following: individuals who have been issued multiple active placards, individuals who apply for an excessive number of replacement placards, providers who certify an abnormally large number of placard applications, and individuals over 100 years of age with active placards.

6-Month Agency Response

DMV has utilized the software Tableau to generate reports using the parameters outlined in this recommendation. Specifically, individuals who have been issued multiple active placards, individuals who apply for an excessive number of replacement placards, providers who certify an abnormally large number of placard applications, and individuals over 100 years of age with active placards. DMV Investigations has begun analyzing the first set of reports generated from Tableau to determine if an investigation should be opened.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

Disabled person parking placard data has been loaded into Tableau (a data mining tool), to reveal patterns, correlations and other insights that will provide DMV necessary information to uncover fraudulent applications.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Recommendation #12 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To better deter placard abuse, by September 2017 DMV should establish reasonable goals regarding the number of sting operations each of its district offices should conduct each quarter. If competing priorities require a district office to miss its goal for a given quarter, Investigations should document its justification for missing the goal. Further, Investigations should monitor its district offices' effectiveness in meeting the quarterly goals.

6-Month Agency Response

A performance goal of one (1) Disabled Person Parking Placard operation a month per each Field District Office has been established and implemented. Procedures require the District Office to submit a copy of the After Action Report (AAR) to the Investigations Division Staff Services Unit who will track the operations ensuring the Performance Goal is met. If the District Office does not complete an operation in the month, a memorandum must be submitted through the District Office's chain of command and forwarded to the Investigations Division Chief's Office to explain why the goal was not met.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

Reasonable goals for each District Office are set and a method to measure the effectiveness of the goals has been established. Procedures for implementation are being prepared.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Recommendation #13 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To help ensure that DMV's sting operations are an effective deterrent to placard misuse, beginning immediately DMV should regularly publicize the results of all of its sting operations through local and statewide media, on its website, and in materials distributed to the public at its field offices.

6-Month Agency Response

Procedures were established and have been implemented for the Investigations Division to report the outcome of operations to the Office of Public Affairs (OPA) for publishing. Since April 2017, the department has issued 21 press releases related to Disabled Person Parking Placard enforcement operations.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

DMV began publishing operation results through local and statewide media and posting on the Department's website, Facebook and Twitter. DMV Investigations Division established a procedure with the DMV Office of Public Affairs (OPA) to distribute news releases after each Disabled Person Parking Placard enforcement operation to local media, and to send a monthly news release to statewide media. The DMV website is also updated with all the news releases on the enforcement operations. In April 2017, several large-scale operations were conducted in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, Coachella and Fresno. Investigators made 2,326 contacts, resulting in 417 citations issued. During these operations, 25 media outlets shadowed DMV Investigators. The DMV OPA is also using the field office video message boards to publicize the results of statewide and local Disabled Person Parking Placard enforcement operations. A 30-second video has been developed highlighting the results of the previous month's operations and is shown on the monitors once each hour. Procedures to continue publishing the results through the OPA are being prepared.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented

The DMV has publicized several sting operations related to placards for people with disabilities. As noted above, DMV received mentions in various media throughout the state and included news releases on its website related to its placard operations. DMV notes in its response that it is continuing to develop procedures. However, its actions thus far show progress toward full implementation of the recommendation.

Recommendation #14 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To properly equip its employees with the knowledge necessary to identify and report potential fraud indicators in placard applications, DMV should provide employees who process applications with training specific to the types of fraud that can occur in an application. This training should be provided by December 2017 and every other year thereafter.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From July 2019

Training has been provided to employees. To fully implement this recommendation, DMV has developed a training video and instructional memo reinforcing the importance of fraud prevention and detection in the application review process. These materials are expected to be released by December 31, 2018.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2018

Training has been provided to employees. To fully implement this recommendation, DMV has developed a training video and instructional memo reinforcing the importance of fraud prevention and detection in the application review process. These materials are expected to be released by December 31, 2018.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented

As we noted in DMV's six-month response, DMV's updated policy contains specific instructions to staff to ensure applications are complete, that the applicant has provided a true full name, and that the applicant has not requested replacement placards in excess of the limit established in law. DMV also included training materials that describe how to determine whether an application is legible and created a form to walk staff through documenting incomplete applications and communicating to individuals and medical providers what information they need to provide to complete the application. According to DMV, staff received training during weekly training and update meetings, during which supervisors walked staff through the policy changes. DMV's response partially addresses our recommendation. The materials provided do not directly address fraud prevention, but the policies put in place will help DMV to identify fraud by better screening applications for possible fraudulent data. We will review the training video once it is complete and update our assessment of the status of this recommendation accordingly.

1-Year Agency Response

This item has been fully implemented. Training materials were developed, disseminated and reviewed with appropriate staff in a training session in March 2018. To further reinforce the importance of fraud detection in the application review process, DMV will continue to provide training to employees every other year, and a training video also is being developed for staff.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented

DMV's updated policy contains specific instructions to staff to ensure applications are complete, that the applicant has provided a true full name, and that the applicant has not requested replacement placards in excess of the limit established in law. DMV also included training materials that describe how to determine whether an application is legible and created a form to walk staff through documenting incomplete applications and communicating to individuals and medical providers what information they need to provide to complete the application. According to DMV, staff received training during weekly training and update meetings, during which supervisors walked staff through the policy changes. DMV's response partially addresses our recommendation. The materials provided do not directly address fraud prevention, but the policies put in place will help DMV to identify fraud by better screening applications for possible fraudulent data. We will review the training video once it is complete and update our assessment of the status of this recommendation accordingly.

6-Month Agency Response

The department is developing a script for video-based fraud prevention training. In addition, staff are using interviews with stakeholders and data analysis to identify specific techniques used in fraudulent applications so that they can be included in training materials.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

DMV program staff are working with the Investigations Division to develop fraud detection training for DMV staff responsible for processing placard applications. The training will be conducted annually and will provide DMV staff the additional knowledge necessary to identify and report potential fraud indicators.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Recommendation #15 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To encourage reporting of allegations of placard abuse, Investigations should amend its policy to accept complaints by telephone and online by June 2017 and display the instructions for doing so prominently on its website.

6-Month Agency Response

Investigations has updated their policy and procedures for accepting complaints via telephone regarding misuse of disabled person placards and plates. The new policy and procedures have been approved and implemented. The DMV web site has been updated to allow complainants of Disabled Person Parking Placard misuse to be submitted through an on-line form or designated email address. An email address to "Report Misuse" was developed and a link under the "Trending" section of the web site's main page was placed allowing consumers to "Report Misuse".

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

The policy regarding accepting complaints via the telephone was developed and is in review. Development for accepting complaints online regarding misuse of a disabled person placard is in process.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Recommendation #16 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To better track the time needed to investigate placard-related cases, Investigations should immediately require investigators to indicate in Investigations' database that cases are closed upon concluding the investigation and to continue to track the court's adjudication of each case.

6-Month Agency Response

Procedures and training materials were distributed via email to all sworn Investigations Division staff. The procedures identify each step required when inputting/updating/closing a file in the Investigations' database. The training materials provide a visual aid for the investigator/Supervisor when completing these steps.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

A process to track the time for investigating placard related cases in the Investigations database has been developed. Procedures and training materials are in review.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Recommendation #17 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To better monitor the results of its enforcement operations, Investigations should provide training and guidance to its investigators on how to use and consistently enter case disposition information into its database, and it should train its supervisors to regularly follow up with investigators to ensure that they do so.

6-Month Agency Response

Procedures and training materials were distributed via email to all sworn Investigations Division staff. The procedures identify each step required when inputting/updating/closing a file in the Investigations' database. The training materials provide a visual aid for the investigator/Supervisor when completing these steps.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

Training materials have been developed and are in review by investigations and training staff.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Recommendation #18 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To better equip local parking enforcement officials to promptly identify invalid placards, by December 2018 DMV should develop and implement an application, database, or other technology that will allow non-sworn parking enforcement officials to have immediate access to information on placard status.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From July 2019

DMV has developed a Disabled Person Placard Monthly Status Report to be shared with the parking and law enforcement agencies. Also, DMV program staff are developing a process for the best method to make the report available to law enforcement and parking/toll agencies.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2018

DMV has developed a Disabled Person Parking Placard Monthly Status Report to be shared with the parking and law enforcement agencies. Also, DMV program staff are developing a process for the best method to make the report available to law enforcement and parking/toll agencies.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

1-Year Agency Response

DMV program and information technology staff have coordinated to develop a draft version of a list that will identify placards that have been canceled/revoked or are no longer valid, and that can be provided to parking authorities.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

6-Month Agency Response

The strategy for providing access to records of invalid placards has been identified.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

A programming request has been developed that will produce a monthly or quarterly report that will contain a list of placards that have been cancelled or are no longer valid. The report will not contain any personal identifiable information and will be made available to qualifying agencies for use in enforcement activities.

Development, testing, and implementation of the necessary programs is estimated to take between eight to twelve months.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Recommendation #19 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To aid local placard enforcement efforts, by September 2017 DMV should develop guidance and training regarding strategies to combat placard misuse and notify local parking enforcement officials that the DMV guidance and training is available. As part of these efforts, DMV should include information on state law related to increasing citation penalties to fund enforcement efforts.

6-Month Agency Response

Existing parking enforcement training material has been updated. A memo regarding DMV guidance and training workshops was disseminated to parking enforcement entities.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

DMV is drafting an informational memo for parking enforcement agencies informing them that DMV guidance and training is available. Additionally, DMV is enhancing existing disabled parking misuse training presentations, training workbooks, and contact information for local parking enforcement agencies. The updated presentations and workbooks will include information on the existence of state law related to increasing citation penalties to fund enforcement efforts, and enforcement operations on misuse of disabled parking.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Recommendation #20 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To track its effectiveness at canceling seized placards, DMV should continue its new practice of keeping a record of the date staff take action to cancel a placard and assess whether DMV is meeting its goal of canceling seized placards within 24 hours of receipt.

60-Day Agency Response

DMV concurs with this recommendation. DMV will continue its current practice.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Fully Implemented

As we noted on pages 44 and 45 of the audit report, DMV established a process to track the date placards were cancelled in a spreadsheet separate from DMV's registration database. This recommendation is fully implemented.

Recommendation #21 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To provide local enforcement agencies with an effective way to submit placard cancellation requests, DMV should immediately establish a dedicated fax number, a dedicated email address, and a specific mailing address to receive such cancellations. DMV should communicate this information to local parking enforcement by July 2017 and should develop a schedule for communicating this information to local parking enforcement in the future. By July 2017 and periodically thereafter, DMV should inform local parking enforcement of the need to submit information on seized placards quickly in order to prevent the holder or someone else from requesting a replacement placard without having to submit a new medical certification.

6-Month Agency Response

DMV issued memos to law enforcement entities and parking enforcement entities with updated instructions on how to submit placard cancellation requests via e-mail, fax or mail. The memos stressed the importance of submitting placard cancellation requests to DMV quickly in order for records to be updated timely.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

A dedicated fax number and mailing address have been established that will allow local law enforcement agencies an effective way to submit requests for placard cancellations. A request for a dedicated email address has been submitted and is being processed. Once available, the information will be disseminated to local enforcement agencies.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Recommendation #22 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To reduce the risk of placard misuse, DMV should update its placards to indicate a return address if found or if the placard holder is deceased. DMV should prepare this update for the permanent placards it will issue in 2019 that will expire in 2021.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2018

The new placard design was completed and approved, and will be issued beginning in January 2019.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

1-Year Agency Response

A proof of the new placard design was approved in January 2018. Manufacture of the new placard will occur by the Summer of 2018.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

6-Month Agency Response

No activity is planned until 2018.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

A redesign of the permanent and temporary disabled person placards has been prioritized to ensure the new placards will be available for the next renewal and mailing cycle in 2019. Modifications will include additional information and a return address for returning a placard to DMV.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

Recommendation #23 To: Motor Vehicles, Department of

To raise public awareness about parking for people with disabilities in California and deter placard misuse, by September 2017 DMV should develop a plan for conducting a public outreach campaign about the effect that placard misuse has on people with disabilities and the penalties for misusing a placard.

6-Month Agency Response

The campaign materials are finalized and approved. A video is airing on field office video message boards, and a web banner is prominently posted on the DMV website along with a link to educational outreach materials and Public Service Announcements. Additional forms of campaign materials will be disseminated through appropriate media outlets as they are developed.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Fully Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

DMV Investigations Division is working with the DMV Office of Public Affairs (OPA) on a public outreach campaign that includes posters, a website banner and website landing page, Public Service Announcements, media outreach, and social media posts. The DMV OPA is also using the field office video message boards to publicize the results of statewide and local Disabled Person Parking Placard enforcement operations. A 30-second video has been developed highlighting the results of the previous month's operations and is shown on the monitors once each hour.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2016-121

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.