A bi-partisan piece of legislation has passed the Illinois House to allow pregnant women to park a little closer to buildings. The bill would allow expectant mothers in their third trimester to obtain a free placard for their vehicle valid for 90 days permitting them to park in handicap designated spots throughout Illinois.
If enacted into law, women with a valid Illinois driver’s license who show adequate documentation that they have entered the third trimester of their pregnancy would be able to receive a parking placard at no charge, similar to those provided to disabled persons, by visiting any of the more than 130 Driver Services facilities across Illinois operated by the Secretary of State.
Oswego Republican Representative Keith Wheeler says it provides a temporary relief to pregnant women: “We believe that this bill would be incredibly helpful to working moms, especially during our harsh winter months. Imagine all of the times that you have been in a place of business with an icy parking lot. This bill is aimed at protecting moms and babies when they need to go to work, when they need to go shopping for their families, and when they need to visit their doctor.”
The bill passed unanimously in the House on Friday. It now moves to the Senate for consideration. The bill has over 50 co-sponsors including Democrats and Republicans from every region of Illinois.