In a powerful show of bipartisan support for New Yorkers with disabilities, Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara – Chair of the New York State Assembly Committee on People with Disabilities – announced the passage of two key bills from this year’s Legislative Disability Awareness Day package: A.3404 and A.688.

“These bills aren’t just symbolic – they’re solutions,” said Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, a longtime advocate and father of a son with autism. “We’re eliminating barriers in hospitals and emergency response systems and setting a new standard for inclusion across New York State.”

A.3404 requires that hospitals allow a personal interpreter to remain with a deaf, hard of hearing, or nonverbal patient during admission until hospital-provided interpretation services are available. The bill protects patient dignity and ensures critical communication during urgent care moments.

A.688 empowers the Office of Fire Prevention and Control to develop disability awareness training for all firefighters in collaboration with the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities and the Chief Disability Officer. This training equips first responders with the tools to safely and respectfully serve individuals with physical and developmental disabilities during emergencies.

“As Chair of the Committee on People with Disabilities, I see the gaps – and I fight to close them,” said Assemblyman Santabarbara. “On Legislative Disability Awareness Day, we don’t just raise awareness – we drive change.”

The passage of these two bills marks a significant milestone in the Assembly’s broader push to build a more inclusive, accessible New York. Santabarbara credited families, advocates, and legislative colleagues across the state for helping move the bills forward.