Florida is once again leading the way by using the government to actually do useful things. And what could be more worthy than making a pregnant mom's life a little easier?
Yes, a law just went into effect on July 1 allowing pregnant women to park in handicapped spots.
State Representative Fiona McFarland, a sponsor of the bill, told Fox 13 News,
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.
Nowhere is this more true than when going to prenatal appointments, where your only choice is to walk a mile from your parking spot in the sweltering heat just for the doctor to tell you that your blood pressure is too high and you need to take it easy.
In order to take advantage of the new law, women will need to have a note from their doctor confirming pregnancy in order to apply for a temporary parking permit.
The law was modeled after a similar law in Illinois, which allows women to get a permit for their third trimester. The Florida law will allow for a one-year permit, so moms could even utilize the parking during those first few months postpartum with a newborn, when they probably need it the most.
Dr. Washington Hill, a retired leader of the Sarasota Memorial Hospital's high-risk pregnancy team, was a vocal supporter of the bill:
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.
It is a shout-out to the pregnant woman that we recognize you are pregnant. 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.
Way to go, Florida! Let's hope, for the sake of moms everywhere, that other states follow suit.
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