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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A new proposal in the Boston City Council aims to help pregnant people and new mothers access parking more readily by being allowed to park in handicap spaces.
Boston City Councilor John FitzGerald, who represents District 3, brought forth an order for a hearing on Wednesday to discuss this new handicap option.
FitzGerald pointed to some contextual problems in the city, such as a rising population that is causing “growing concern” for the parking availability especially for vulnerable individuals.
The key arguments behind this proposal were that some pregnant people have mobility issues, which can make walking long distances painful and difficult, and other medical conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes that require limited physical exertion.
Other concerns include safety problems, since being closer to a building entrance can reduce risks of falling and other accidents as well as ensure that pregnant people get access to medical attention more quickly in an emergency.
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Boston residents had mixed reactions to the handicap proposal, with many in favor of it but not all.
“I think that’s awesome,” one woman told WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas enthusiastically.
Another woman agreed. “I didn’t need those accommodations, but other women certainly might need those.”
And one person said that handicap placards should be given out based on individual needs. “I think it should be a case-by-case basis. Everybody has a different situation after they deliver.”
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However, a few people were not in favor of FitzGerald’s proposal.
“No, no handicap plates for pregnant women or post-mamas,” shared one woman adamantly. “It’s absolutely pathetic, no. Women are strong, they can do it. Our bodies are built to have babies and walk at the same time.”
Another woman explained her opinion on the matter. “If there are underlying conditions that they would be able to qualify for a handicap plate anyway, then that’s how they should go through it. But yeah, I think some compassion is deserved.”
One person said he was in favor of the idea since pregnant people would not have the handicap placard indefinitely.
"It’s only temporary, it’s not like something that they’re going to have for a long period of time. I really don’t see nothing wrong with it,” he said.
Other states already have similar laws in place. FitzGerald’s proposal highlighted this fact, saying that Illinois allows people in their third trimester of pregnancy to use a disability placard for 90 days.
In a statement to WBZ NewsRadio, FitzGerald said, “Our hope is to call attention to a matter that isn’t talked about enough, and that’s how hard pregnancy can be on the human body, specifically in the last trimester and post-birth in the recovery phase."
He explained that he wants to make pregnancy expressly recognized by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.
"Under the RMV qualifications for a handicap placard, complications due to pregnancy is not explicitly codified, and by doing so we think that more people will 1) be aware they can access this help and 2) give families some comfort that the City of Boston, and potentially the State, cares about working families and their quality of life."
FitzGerald’s proposal is now headed to a council committee meeting for a public hearing and further consideration.
"We look forward to working with the MA Office of Disability and the City of Boston Disability Commission in discussing how we can further this proposal."
WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.
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