A Florida law that allows moms-to-be to get around more easily by parking in spots reserved for handicapped individuals is being challenged in court, according to a report from NPR.
The law, which went into effect in July 2025, lets pregnant women apply for a disabled parking pass regardless of their medical history with a note from their doctor. It goes a step further than an Illinois law — which only allows permits in the third trimester of pregnancy — by making the permits good for a full year.
Sarasota State House Republican Fiona McFarland originally sponsored the bill. The mom of four birthed the idea while she was nine months pregnant in the sweltering heat and “walked past all of these handicap spots that were vacant,” she said at a committee meeting last year.
But she was also adamant that she does not believe pregnancy is a disability – which struck the wrong chord with people who do have disabilities.
Olivia Keller, a Tallahassee resident who uses a motorized wheelchair, is suing the state Department of Highway Safety in federal court to overturn the law, citing the Americans with Disabilities Act. She argues that parking spaces are already limited for those who need the accessible spots.
“Imagine that every day of your life is Black Friday and you’re going around a parking lot trying to find a space,” Keller told NPR.
Between 2% and 4% of parking spaces must be reserved for people with disabilities, according to the ADA, a landmark 1990 civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Florida has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, and nearly 100,000 new moms already have a yearlong permit to park in these spaces.
Other states considering pregnancy parking laws include Ohio and Arizona, according to The 19th News.
