AB 2949 has crossed out of the Assembly (73-0) with bipartisan support and bipartisan co-authorship. The bill exempts vehicles registered to US military veterans (including disabled veterans and purple heart recipients) from paying tolls on toll bridges and toll highways in order to provide financial relief to those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their service to our nation.
Tolls can be incredibly cost-prohibitive throughout the Bay Area and Southern California, which can result in a significant economic impact on someone who must take a toll road. These barriers can be prohibitive for disabled veterans, who may find it more difficult to attain a job or seek ongoing medical care.
“Having to cross toll bridges to and from my medical appointments over at the City of Palo Alto, it adds up and can be quite costly for necessary care for my injuries,” said Curtis Brunn, US Marine Corps Veteran and Fremont resident.
“Our disabled veterans should not be further burdened by toll costs in order to seek necessary treatment,” said Assemblymember Lee. “As we reflect during Military Appreciation Month on how we can do more to support our veterans and their families, this bill is an important step,” said Assemblymember Alex Lee.
According to the Pew Research Center, nearly three in ten disabled veterans say their impairments prevented them from getting or keeping a job at some point in their working lives. In addition, those with the greatest degree of disability encountered the most obstacles in the workplace – with two-thirds who are 100% disabled saying their impairments prevented them from getting a job.
AB 2949 would provide financial relief to veterans who display one of the following license plates:
- Disabled veteran
- Pearl Harbor survivor
- Former Prisoner of War
- Congressional Medal of Honor
- Purple Heart Recipient
- Army Medal of Honor, Navy Medal of Honor, Air Force Medal of Honor, Army Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force Cross