Boston employees, including members of the city council, will need to provide proof of a valid driver's license and other documentation to park at city hall.
The change in policy comes amid the fallout from City Councilor Kendra Lara's crash into a Jamaica Plain home late last month.
WATCH ANYTIME FOR FREE
 |
Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are. |
In a memo emailed to colleagues, City Council President Ed Flynn announced applications must be submitted by the end of the day Friday for parking in the Executive Garage and the Donnelly Garage. The regulation applies to people working for the council, the city clerk's office or in the mayor's cabinet.
Get updates on what's happening in Boston to your inbox. Sign up for our News Headlines newsletter.
The application's requirements include a copy of a valid driver's license, a copy of a valid vehicle registration, and proof of vehicle insurance — all listed by Flynn in a message earlier this month to the Boston Property Management Department asking it to change the parking regulations for city hall workers.
When Lara crashed into a house on Centre Street on June 30, police say she was driving an unregistered, uninsured vehicle with a revoked license. Police later said her driver's license had not been valid since 2013.
"I want to make sure that everyone that is parking in a city garage has a valid driver's license, has insurance and that the car is registered," Flynn told NBC10 Boston Tuesday.
Flynn did not mention Lara by name in his request for new parking regulations or in his announcement of their implementation. But he did criticize her after the crash, saying the council is "not living up to that high bar we should be meeting."
The crash injured Lara's 7-year-old son, who police say was not in a booster seat and may not even have been properly buckled. He required stitches, and police filed a 51A report with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.
A 51A report is filed with the DCF if a person is accused of child abuse or neglect, according to the state's website. A spokesperson with the department told NBC10 Boston it does not provide specifics on cases due to state and federal privacy requirements.
After learning Lara's license had been suspended or revoked for a decade, fellow Boston City Council members told NBC10 Boston last week they had seen her drive to work.
Lara was not arrested after the crash, but she is facing potential charges. The councilor is set to appear in the West Roxbury Division of Boston Municipal Court Wednesday.
Eight days after the crash, Lara issued an apology on social media.
