The change, given final approval this week, reduced the minimum fine from $250 to $100, although a judge can impose a fine of up to $500.

"It caught us by surprise," said Francine Wai, executive director of the state's Disability and Communication Access Board. "To us, it is a slap in the face to the disabled community, that we think that even though parking in a disabled stall is illegal, it is not really that bad."

The change was made in a conference committee April 25. Wai said the original bill was introduced in order to address technicalities in the existing law that would make it easier to enforce. There was never any desire to lower the fine, nor was it ever mentioned during several hearings, Wai said.

Her only recourse is to ask the governor to veto the bill, she said.

Honolulu Police Department Sgt. Bart Canada, who oversees a program of 26 citizen volunteers deputized to issue citations, said he was shocked by the change.

"It just opens the door for abuse," Canada said.

Last year, more than 3,300 citations were issued to people who parked in disabled stalls illegally. Police have found that the lower the fine, the greater the abuse, Canada said.

"The people who made the changes without consulting the rest of us have done a disservice to the community," he said.

A veto of the bill would eliminate the reduction but it would also eliminate the changes the disabled community sought this year, he said.

"We're between a rock and a hard spot," he said.

Jim Santos, commander of the 4,600-member state chapter of the Disabled American Veterans, sent a letter to the governor urging a veto.

"This reduction will literally open the door to many violators because it is somewhat affordable to them," Santos wrote.

Rep. Joe Souki, D-8th (Waiehu, Ma'alaea, Napili), was a member of the conference committee that lowered the fine ­ a decision he noted was unanimous.

"We just thought $250 was excessive," he said. "We gave the judge a little more discretion. I don't believe in soaking people with heavy fines all the time."

Souki called the change "relatively minor."

"I don't know what they are all stewed up about," he said.

Sen. Cal Kawamoto, D-19th (Waipahu, Pearl City), said House members of the conference committee sought the reduction and the Senate members reluctantly agreed.

"We didn't like it," he said. "It's another tradeoff, I guess. We wanted the fines to be higher."