New Yorkers with disabilities were appalled last night when Governor Paterson vetoed not one, but two critical pieces of disability civil rights legislation.

One bill, A.781-B (Paulin)/S.5396 (Huntley), adds American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II language into state statute; clarifying the accessibility obligations of state and local governments and strengthening the civil rights protections for people with disabilities. For any state or local government unit that receives federal funds, which is all states and cities at this point, it’s been the law since the Rehabilitation Act of 1973! This bill imposes no new or additional requirements upon local governments or businesses, so what is Governor Paterson’s problem?

The other bill, A. 584 (Cahill)/S.1058 (Addabbo), will require all poll sites to comply with the accessibility guidelines of the ADA. Voting rights are fundamental. And a blind Governor, of all people, should know the importance of privacy in the voting booth. Across the state, poll sites are notorious for violations of the ADA. The new law will update state election law consistent with federal requirements and eliminate outdated waiver language. Inaccessible sites can either be moved or modifications can be made and counties can be reimbursed with State and Federal funds that already exist to address the issue through the State Board of Elections.

The Governor’s message about the Title II bill says that this is about tight government budgets, because new state staff would be needed to sort out the differences between federal and state requirements. That’s a ridiculous claim! The point of the bill is to settle that, while adding no new requirements. Moreover, these bills were both reportedly passed by the Assembly by majorities sufficient to override a veto. These bills did not squeak by, as they might if they required the kind of spending he alleges.

It’s hard to believe that a blind Governor, and someone who previously served on the board of directors of a center for independent living, could so blatantly disregard fundamental disability rights established in federal law, pretty much for decades.

But we aren’t giving up. Disability advocates who have worked hard to move these bills through the legislative process now call on the New York State Legislature to override these vetoes and stand up for all New Yorkers with disabilities.

• Override the veto of A.781-B (Paulin)/S.5396 (Huntley) to incorporate the provisions of Title II of the ADA into state law and strengthen protections for people with disabilities against discrimination in New York State!
• Override the veto of A. 584 (Cahill)/S.1058 (Addabbo) to ensure that the state’s 3.3 million voters with disabilities have access to their most fundamental citizenship right to vote!

Stay tuned for more advocacy updates and be ready to take action again!