GOVERNOR RICHARDSON SIGNED. THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE SAYS THE BILL ALSO REDUCES HANDICAP PARKING FINES BY AS MUCH AS 425- DOLLARS. BUT THE STATE SAYS THAT’S NOT THE CASE. ANTOINETTE ANTONIO EXPLAINS... PARK HERE ILLEGALLY... YOU PAY A FINE. IT USED TO BE UP TO A 500-DOLLAR TICKET IN ALBUQUERQUE. NOW THE CITY SAYS THEY'LL HAVE NO CHOICE .. BUT TO CHARGE VIOLATORS ONLY 75-BUCKS. HANDICAPPED PARKNG SPOTS ARE ALMOST EVERYWHERE YOU GO... BUT FINDING AN AVAILABLE ONE ISN'T AS EASY AS YOU MAY THINK. 'oh yes, I seen a lot of cars parked there which they don't have a handicap and that is not right.' RUTH PEREA'S PROBLEM... COULD GET EVEN WORSE. YESTERDAY GOVERNOR RICHARDSON SIGNED A BILL THAT WOULD FUNNEL MOST OF THE FINE MONEY FROM THE RED LIGHT CAMERA PROGRAM... TO THE STATE. THE BILL ALSO CAPS TRAFFIC TICKETS IN THE CITY AT 75-DOLLARS.. THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE SAYS THAT INCLUDES HANDICAPPED PARKING VIOLATIONS. 'the legislature said we don't intend for this to apply to handicap parking, but the way it reads which is how we interpret it it does in fact apply to handicapped parking.' DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY GREG WHEELER WENT OVER SENATE BILL 442 WITH US. IT STATES THAT FINES FOR FAILING TO OBEY A TRAFFIC SIGN OR SIGNAL.... SHALL NOT EXCEED 75 DOLLARS. WHEELER SAYS HANDICAPPED PARKING VIOLATIONS FALL UNDER THESE RULES... BECAUSE TECHNICALLY, YOU'RE DISOBEYING A TRAFFIC SIGN. OFFICIALS WITH GOVERNOR RICHARDSON'S OFFICE SAY THE LEGISLATION WON'T APPLY TO HANDICAPPED FINES... SINCE THE GOVERNOR SIGNED OFF LAST YEAR ON A BILL THAT ALLOWS FINES OF UP TO 5- HUNDRED DOLLARS. BUT WHEELER TELLS US THE CITY HAS TO GO BY WRITTEN LAW .... ' ... not by what someone in the governors office with benefit of hindsight hopes that it means.'WHEELER SAYS THE CITY WOULD FACE LAWSUIT AFTER LAWSUIT IF THEY DON'T REDUCE HANDICAPPED PARKING FINES TO 75-DOLLARS.// JOHN HYDE MAY