Kane County Reporter

During the Thanksgiving season, state Rep. Keith R. Wheeler (R-Oswego) offered his thanks for Henry’s Law, which allows women in their third trimester of pregnancy to receive a parking placard.

In a press release on his website, Wheeler noted that the law, which was passed last year, increases safety for expectant mothers during the most vulnerable months of their pregnancies. The law, according to the release, permits women in the third trimester of pregnancy to get a free 90-day placard to use handicapped-accessible parking spaces in the state.

“This law will help protect all our working moms and their babies-to-be, especially during those harsh winter months when snow and ice heighten the risk for women walking from their car to go into work, to go shopping for their families, or to visit their doctor,” Wheeler said in the news release. “Unfortunately, the inspiration for this new law, baby Henry Marcum of Aurora, his mother went into preterm labor at 21 weeks when he was born in November of 2019 and was only with us for about 60 minutes before he passed. This new law is a great way to honor his memory and to demonstrate that a life that only lasted one hour can make a huge difference in the lives of thousands of moms and babies across our state.”

According to the press release, House Bill 3027, known as "Henry's Law," was unanimously approved in 2021 by both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly.

A bi-partisan effort, the bill included more than 50 co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle from all corners of the state, according to the website. 

First elected to the Illinois House in 2014, Wheeler is a cybersecurity, data analytics and IT executive, according to his website.