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Parking signs for people with disabilities in Michigan get an update

Handicapped parking sign
frankfarm is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Handicapped parking sign

Parking signs in Michigan for people with disabilities are getting a new update. The state is doing away with language and a logo that advocates say is outdated.

The update comes after Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed two bills into law. They replace the word "handicapped" with "reserved" and change a stationary logo of a person in a wheelchair to a more active wheelchair user.

Disability Network Michigan spokesperson Teri Langley says while these changes may seem minimal, they're significant for the disability community. "This change in parking signs represents the change in beliefs and the change in attitudes toward people with disabilities," she says.

Langley says the network is working on getting the Secretary of State to adopt the design for other parking materials and signs. Businesses aren't required to replace current signage, but should they need new ones, they will need to use the updated sign.