Governor Signs Bill to Aid Pregnant Women

Legislation signed by Governor Brad Henry today would allow women to use handicapped parking spaces in the final months of pregnancy if a physician deems it necessary.

            “The final trimester creates a significant physical challenge for many women, one that we ought to accommodate,” said state Rep. Danny Morgan , D-Prague. “Walking during the late stage of pregnancy is often difficult and painful. This new law will help expectant mothers preparing for the birth of their child.”

            House Bill 2907, by Morgan and state Sen. Susan Paddack (D-Ada), would allow women to obtain a temporary placard from a physician that allows them to temporarily use handicap parking spaces.

            Current law allows those placards to go to individuals who cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest, people who require the use of a brace or a cane, those who have temporarily lost the use of one or more limbs (such as those with a broken leg), and those who are severely limited in their ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological or orthopedic condition.

            “This is a welcome change to the law governing handicapped parking in Oklahoma , one which will make life a little easier and a little safer for women in the third trimester of pregnancy,” commented Sen. Susan Paddack , D-Ada. “It’s not often that we get the opportunity to really help some of our fellow Oklahomans without incurring any actual cost, but this is just such a bill, and we are delighted that Governor Henry has signed it into law.”

            Morgan, the leader of the House Democratic Caucus, said the idea for the legislation came during the recent ice storms when he witnessed a pregnant woman having to cross an icy parking lot on foot.

            “The consequences of a fall at such a late stage in a woman’s pregnancy could be very serious,” Morgan said. “If that woman had been allowed to use the handicap spot near the entrance, she would have been at much less risk of an injury.”

In both 2007 and 2008, the average monthly birth rate was around 4,500 births.

            According to the Department of Public Safety Office of Driver Compliance, the number of handicap placards issued for the last fiscal year was almost 80,000 (including both five-year permits and six-month temporary permits). 

            “When you crunch the numbers, it’s pretty clear that granting pregnant women temporary placards will not create a parking shortage for individuals with permanent disabilities,” Morgan said. “In any given quarter, you would only have perhaps 1,100 more placards issued statewide on top of the 80,000 already issued.”

            Morgan also noted that the new law would not mean all pregnant women would automatically be given a placard.