Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (at podium) addresses the Assembly's annual Legislative Disability Awareness Day in Albany. Heastie underscored the Assembly's longstanding commitment to legislation aimed at improving the lives of New Yorkers with disabilities. Included in the 11 bill legislative package approved by the Assembly are measures that would provide greater public accommodation and remove discriminatory barriers for people with disabilities. The Speaker was joined by Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, Task Force on People with Disabilities Chair David I. Weprin and Assemblymember Michael Cusick.

"Today we honor individuals with disabilities and raise awareness about the day-to-day challenges they overcome," said Heastie. "With this package of legislation, we continue our commitment to improving living conditions for all New Yorkers with disabilities. Ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to the programs and services they need to thrive is of the upmost importance to the Assembly."

"It is an honor to join my Assembly colleagues to co-host Legislative Disabilities Awareness Day. This annual event celebrates the incredible accomplishments of those living with disabilities and recognizes the work of dedicated community advocates," said Kolb. "The Assembly Minority Conference and I will continue our efforts to ensure every individual is provided the opportunity to be successful without prejudice."

The Assembly's Legislative Package includes a measure that would amend the state's Human Rights Law to clarify the definition of a place of public accommodation, resort or amusement to include state-and locally-owned government facilities in order to further protect the rights of individuals with disabilities (A.136-A, Paulin). The bill clarifies that as long as it is determined that a proposed accommodation poses no undue burden on state or local governments, the state or municipal government would be required to remove certain barriers currently limiting access to transportation or government services and buildings for individuals with disabilities. The package helps ensure the elimination of discriminatory practices against people with disabilities, including measures that would:

• require that sign language interpreters be made available upon the request of individuals with hearing impairments at public hearings and meetings and would establish provisions for assistive listening systems to be required in rooms used for public hearings that accommodate over 100 people (A.1669-A, Wright);
• waive the state's sovereign immunity in regards to application of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 as they apply to the protection of state employees (A.5388, Lifton); and
• provide factors to be considered when the health care practitioner utilized by the local social services district examines an applicant for or recipient of public assistance with regards to a possible work limitation or exemption due to a disability and require such health care practitioner utilized by the local social services district to provide an explicit written determination and to present evidence when their diagnosis differs from that of the treating health care practitioner (A.3450, Wright).

"Legislative Disabilities Awareness Day gives us the opportunity to recognize New Yorkers with disabilities and their fellow advocates," said Weprin. "As Chair of the Task Force on People with Disabilities, I am proud to once again be a part of this day and I thank my colleagues for their continued support of legislation that helps people with disabilities live fulfilling, independent lives."

"Disabilities can be as diverse as the people they affect. Legislative Disabilities Awareness Day raises awareness about the different issues facing New Yorkers with disabilities and their families and opens a dialogue about what we, as elected representatives, can still do to remove remaining discriminatory barriers," said Gunther. "Today's package of bills addresses a range of challenges in hopes of making New York a more inclusive place."

"I'm proud to yet again be part of the Legislative Disabilities Awareness Day, an event that highlights the accomplishments and struggles of people with disabilities," said Katz. "Each year is another opportunity to celebrate successes within the disability community and to learn how we as legislators can craft legislation that addresses issues facing those with disabilities and their families."

The Assembly's Legislative Disabilities Awareness Day agenda also includes several pieces of legislation intended to better ensure that all New Yorkers with disabilities are kept safe in the event of an emergency or natural disaster and have accessible housing and transportation options. They would:

• require every high-rise building owner to establish and maintain an emergency evacuation plan for occupants and visitors with disabilities (A.2200, Weprin);
• aid localities in preparing for and responding to disasters by requiring counties to maintain a confidential registry of people of all ages with disabilities who may require evacuation assistance and shelter during a disaster. People would be provided with the option to be included in the registry (A.2658-A, Weprin);
• require counties and cities with a population of one million or more to establish comprehensive emergency management plans, which would include provisions for access of home health care and hospice personnel to patients during local emergencies (A.5125-B, Cusick);
• allow tenants with physically disabling conditions that affect their mobility a preference in occupying a vacant dwelling unit on a lower floor in the same project operated by the New York City Housing Authority (A.4232, Titus); and
• create the MTA Riders' Council for People with Disabilities to study, investigate, monitor and make recommendations with respect to accommodating the needs and providing conveniences to riders with disabilities (A.5267, Weprin).

The package also includes bills that would establish the New York State Interagency Coordinating Council for Service-Disabled Veterans to identify the needs and services that service-disabled veterans require (A.4789, Ramos) and that would enable blind and visually impaired registered voters to request and receive Braille or large-print absentee ballots for elections administered under the Election and Education Law, providing them the opportunity to cast their vote independently (A.2104-A, Weprin).

In addition, legislation expected to pass later in session in celebration of Disabilities Awareness Day would allow advanced home health aides to perform advanced tasks, including the administration of medications, under the direct supervision of a registered professional nurse (A.7188, Glick). This would expand access to affordable home care options and help individuals with disabilities to transition from institutional settings to more comfortable home environments.