New law allows any public employee to police disabled parking

MADISON -- New Wisconsin laws are giving local municipalities the ability to deputize any public employee to hand out tickets to those illegally parking in spots designated for the disabeled. Enforcement by these public employees can take place whether they're on the clock or not.

Three new laws focusing on disabled parking spaces take effect Friday. The new laws allow counties and municipalities to give any employee the right to ticket illegally parked vehicles. This comes shortly after a new law raised minimum fines for illegally parking in spots for the disabled from $50-$100. If local laws allows for it, that same employee can have the car towed. 

Lawmakers say the goal is to make it almost impossible for people to get away taking up a space designated for people with disabilities when they don't actually need it. Advocates say this will help smaller towns to spread the responsibility out.