The State of Texas will pay $24 million to settle a class action lawsuit filed against the Department of Transportation more than a dozen years ago claiming that the $5 fee the state charged for disabled parking placards violated federal law. The settlement represents one of the largest — if not the largest — single checks the state has written to settle a legal claim, according to the comptroller's office.
Although the settlement deal won't be finalized until U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks signs off on it, probably early next year, a spokesman for the Transportation Department said the money to cover the debt was officially set aside in November.
According to the agreement, Texas will fund a $19.2 million pool to cover refunds to drivers with disabilities who purchased the light blue parking placards — typically hung from rearview mirrors — from 1997, when the lawsuit was brought, through 2008, when a judge ordered the state to stop collecting the fee.
The state will pay another $1 million to administer the refunds and $3.9 million to the lawyers who brought the case.
Now we know who the sesnbile one is here. Great post!
Posted by: Tisha | 05/02/2011 at 11:03 PM