A US state has introduced a new “handicap parking” law that will benefit a new set of drivers, although only for a year.
It will make it easier to find parking for expectant mothers, who already have to deal with swollen feet and morning sickness.
The rule applies to women at any stage of pregnancy[/caption]
All pregnant mothers in the state of Florida are now able to access a an accessible parking placard if they obtain a doctor’s note as proof.
The permit will be valid for a year after it is obtained.
Having handicap parking accessible to pregnant women in the state of Florida was brought into effect on July 1.
Origins of the law
The change in the law comes after State Representative Fiona McFarland, who is also a mother, brought the matter to attention.
“Every parent just intuitively understands this is a great deal for pregnant women in Florida,” she said.
The new permit is modelled off rules already put in place by the state of Illinois, although they only allow them to be obtained in the third trimester of a woman’s pregnancy.
McFarland wanted it to be available to women at all stages of pregnancy, and therefore have made the permit valid for a full year no matter the trimester.
She told FOX 13: “Having been pregnant myself in the Florida heat, it is hard to struggle across a big parking lot when you are 9 months pregnant, especially if you have other kids, and you are dragging gear to park all the way in the back of the parking lot and walk past those empty handicap spots.”
Pregnant mothers should take their doctor’s note to the DMV, where they will be able to get a parking placard.
Why it matters
Dr Washington Hill, who created and lead the high-risk pregnancy team at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, added: “With the Florida weather and the combination of being 6–7 months pregnant or early pregnant with nausea and vomiting, I think this is important.”
He sees it as a great move to better recognise mothers: “We understand that while pregnant you have some special issues the rest of us do not have and, in this way, we appreciate that and will make it easier for you.”
Classifying pregnancy
Although not a disability, pregnancy does invoke some physical and mental medical conditions like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or pregnancy-related depression, which do qualify as disabilities if they limit major life activities.
And while many are grateful for the new law in Florida, some say it’s still not enough.
The United States is one of the few developed nations that do not require paid maternity leave for expectant mothers.
