Photo courtesy of The Accessible Icon Project.
The Dynamic Accessibility Symbol, which has been proposed for Alabama’s handicap license plates and parking tags, is meant to convey action and independence for people with disabilities.
Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry and his daughter, Anna Gualano, are behind an effort to update the traditional handicap symbol with a new emblem for the state of Alabama.
Called the Dynamic Accessibility Symbol, the new design is an update of the classic handicap symbol released in 1969. The new mark is designed to show a person with a disability actively engaged in their own movement, rather than the static position portrayed in the current symbol.
The updated symbol is gaining support among people with disabilities and their families.
Gualano, an attorney and principal at Littler Mendelson, P.C., was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, more commonly known as brittle bone disease. She and Curry became aware of the Dynamic Accessibility Symbol while traveling to Vanderbilt University Hospital for treatment, where they saw the symbol on car tags and handicapped parking spaces..
“My daughter and I were up in Nashville recently. She goes up there for some medical issues, and we’re driving into the city, and she sees the Tennessee tag and said, ‘I wonder why Alabama can’t do that,’” Curry said.
“I said, ‘Gosh, I so prefer that symbol to the one that you see everywhere else,’” Gualano said.
Gualano has not allowed her disability to slow her down, living a demanding and physically active lifestyle. For instance, 15 years ago, Gualano, accompanied by Curry, traveled to Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. To her, the Dynamic Accessibility Symbol reflects the lifestyles she and many other people with disabilities lead.
While in the car to and from Nashville that day, Gualano made her feelings clear regarding her preference.
“Dad was sort of surprised at my really strong reaction. That static symbol sort of speaks to me of dependence, and that is not consistent with my experience,” she said.
“I feel like symbols matter a lot, and for some people that symbol on a handicapped parking space might be all the interaction they have with disability,” Gualano said. “Since it’s not consistent with my experience, I just much prefer the more dynamic symbol that speaks of independence and shows a person involved in their own movement.”
The Dynamic Accessibility Symbol is currently in use in four states — Tennessee, New York, Michigan and Connecticut. Curry said he decided to get involved and pursue having Alabama adopt the updated symbol.
“The original emblem, to a person with a disability, is a static look, like they are just sitting there waiting for somebody to come push them,” Curry said. “This shows a person with a disability actively involved.”
Curry placed a call to Tennessee Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano to learn more about the process the state used to adopt the emblem. Gerregano sent Curry a copy of the Tennessee bill that made it to the state legislature in 2019.
Curry then contacted Alabama state Rep. David Faulkner, who represents Alabama House District 46, and Faulkner introduced the bill, House Bill 285, in the 2024 legislative session in late February. Curry also received support from state Sen. Jabo Waggoner and Dr. Graham Sisson, executive director of the Alabama Governor’s Office on Disability.
The bill would only apply to license plates and car tags, not handicap parking signs or building signs at this time.
As of April, the bill had been reviewed by the Transportation, Infrastructure and Utilities Committee and had been placed on the House’s calendar. Curry said the bill has bipartisan support but was being held up by the gambling bill currently under debate in Montgomery. However, he said he has been assured the bill is “low-hanging fruit” and has a high probability of passing once it comes up for a vote.
“It’s noncontroversial. The point is all they are changing is the emblem. They’re not changing all the disabled signs in everyone’s parking lot on the sides of their buildings,” Curry said. “This isn’t something that is going to cost the state a lot of money. The way I look at it is, I think we are doing the right thing for our citizens with disabilities.”
Gualano said she can’t imagine there are too many people opposed to the new symbol.
“It doesn’t seem like a big change to make,” she said. “I see it as a small thing that has a big impact.”
