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Posted on 01/17/2026 9:23:22 AM PST by simpson96
TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (WSVN) - A Florida woman who lives with a disability said a new law that allows pregnant women to apply for temporary disabled parking permits threatens her ability to live independently, according to a lawsuit.
“I just feel very strongly that pregnancy is not a disability, I just want to be able to park up front,” said State Rep. Fiona McFarland in 2025.
That moment from a State House committee meeting in March helped lay the foundation for a new law that allows expecting mothers to apply for temporary disabled parking permits for a $15 fee. The permits would be valid for one year.
While supporters called the measure a compassionate change to assist expecting mothers, critics said the law is dangerous, taking limited spots away from residents with disabilities who rely on having access to them.
Olivia Keller, who lives in Leon County, was born without arms. She uses a power wheelchair to move around and said this new law threatens her ability to live independently, which is why she’s filed a lawsuit.
“I can’t do my job, I can’t go to the grocery store, and for me needing the access aisle, I literally can’t get out of my car if I can’t find a place to park,” said Keller. “They’re not perks. They’re not our reward for having a disability. These are spaces that we need in order to function in our day-to-day lives.”
In the suit, Keller argues pregnancy does not meet the legal definition of a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act and that Florida cannot change that standard.
“It’s not for our convenience. There is no accommodation that is going to make my life easy. This makes it possible,” said Keller.
Other residents in the community said they understand the concern on both sides, but agree access to parking spots for both residents with disabilities and expecting mothers is already limited in many areas.
“We need more for anybody, disability, even pregnant, anybody, you know, it’s just, it’s too much, it’s too hard to carry everything,” said resident Michelle Wood.
Advocates against the new law said this is not a fight to keep expecting mothers from accessing closer parking spots, but instead a call for a separate solution and more overall accessibility.
“There is not enough parking for handicap, especially in this Florida area where there is a lot of elderly people,” said resident Paula Hyre.
Attorneys for the state filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, but that request was denied.
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“I have nothing against disabled people, if it wasn’t for them, I’d never find a parking space.” - Gallagher
It’s getting to the point that nearly half the parking spots are handicapped spots in some places. I see people with no discernable disabilities with those tags. Seems like big fat slobs are disabled.
Sounds pretty entitled and selfish to me.Rarely do I see all the disabled parking spots full.
Next they will want fat chicks to be able to use those spots. You don’t know how important those spots are until you actually need one.
I guess we need “very disabled” spots near the entrances, and “mildly/temporarily disabled” spots back a few rows.
Who can find an empty handicapped parking space these days?
Those darn Boomers are everywhere!
Why a law? Why a suit? I would think anyone would need a sticker or a disabled license plate to park in such a spot. Couldn’t a doctor currently just issue a disability sticker to pregnant women who need them?
“Rarely do I see all the disabled parking spots full.”
It’s the exact opposite for me, everywhere I go.
The handicapped woman’s argument is weak. What does she do now when all the spaces are full? Your comment is where she should be arguing. I had a neighbor who got a tag because she had cancer (she beat it and has been living cancer free for years). Yet she still uses the tag for parking.
Good gosh! People, just be civil and polite, ok?
According to VA I have a 50% disability. I don’t use a handicap sticker (I could but I know it would not be right in my mind) and I don’t park in handicap spaces. I don’t need that (yet) thank The Lord.
On the other hand it is annoying to see so much parking space or bathroom space dedicated to only handicapped people. There usually aren’t that many at any one place at any given time.
I recall a coworker out for one month on maternity leave. She came back, the boss at the next office meeting said, “glad to have her back from vacation!”
First time I thought I was going to see a revolution in an office. The ladies were not happy.
Agreed.
On the other hand, a number of stores around here set aside a few spots for new mothers, veterans, etc. I suppose eventually all spots will be earmarked for one class or another.
I always park far away, anyway — to hopefully keep my car from getting damaged when I leave it in a parking lot for more than 30 seconds.
Looks more like a woman without arms is jealous of another who is pregnant. A doctor can grant a permit, temporary or permanent, to practically anyone who has walking issues, why not pregnant women?
I have a permanent disability card and I was told I could park pretty much anywhere I want to as long as I’m not blocking traffic. But also, I was in grad school when I was pregnant and had to walk across campus with a stack of books and a portable typewriter (this was in the mid seventies. Although I was hugely pregnant I had to get a note from my doctor in order to get a permit. It was important because without the permit I couldn’t drive on campus and it would have been about half an hour.
yeah, pregnancy is not fun. Give them a parking space.
“I always park far away, anyway — to hopefully keep my car from getting damaged”
That is my habit—and I drive a beater so it does not really matter.
I just don’t want the “disabled” drivers to hit my car.
Lol.
Are pregnant women disabled?
This is a dangerous precedent that is going to somehow result in men being sued for more money.
[Seems like big fat slobs are disabled.]
My out of shape ex-father-in-law kept badgering his doctor for a handy cap tag. Doctor told him “if there was a tag that forced you to park in the very back, that’s what you would get”.
“It’s getting to the point that nearly half the parking spots are handicapped spots in some places.”
It is annoying and not just handicapped spaces. More and more reserved daily. I saw a parking lot recently that had reserved spots for dozens of groups, Handicapped, Law Enforcement, Mothers with Children, Delivery drivers(Instacart,Uber eats),Retired veterans,vendor parking...
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