On May 16th a number of disability rights advocates traveled to Albany to participate in the NYS Assembly’s Disability Awareness Day. We arrived at the Capitol building armed with our ADAPT goods: flyers, pins, stickers and a newly created video of our recent actions in Washington DC.

Our advocates visited other agencies’ tables, took in speeches by a number of Assembly members and Senators and networked with other disability advocates from around the state. We also had the opportunity to check in with some of our local representatives. We visited Assemblyman Bronson and the staff of Assemblyman Gantt as well as Senator Robach.

We mainly advocated for three bills that are currently on the floor of the State Legislature:

A06754 / S4954 – Requires public notice and hearing prior to any planned substantial change in service provided by the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA).

A04097 / S4801 – Establishes a visor card for the deaf and hard of hearing.

A06920 / S4407 – Creates a waiver for the hearing requirement of the physical examination set forth in federal regulations for deaf persons who are holders of a commercial driver’s license or permit who will operate intrastate exclusively.

[If you live in New York State, please contact your representatives and ask them to co-sponsor these bills.]

After the tabling and speeches, the Assembly went into session and passed a package of bills that focus on the disabled. This has actually become a traditional scenario in Albany. Each year, the Assembly has Disability Awareness Day and passes a number of bills, only to have their counterparts in the Senate let them die. While calling your representatives about the bills above, tell your Senator to support legislation to pass all the bills passed in the Assembly.

To see what bills the Assembly passed, read the press release put out by the Assembly.