Sunday July 26th marked the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act; historic legislation that gives individuals with disabilities certain legal rights and protections, while sending a message to all Americans that disabilities rights are civil rights.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It also assures equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities and access to businesses, employment, transportation, state and local government programs, services, and telecommunications. Through the establishment of a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities, millions of lives have been and continue to be affected every day.
The road to this point was not easy but 25 years later we remain more committed than ever to championing the protections under the ADA and improving the lives of people with disabilities in New York State. As the former Chair of the Senate Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, and current Chair of the Senate Committee on Social Services, I work with advocates, constituents and my colleagues in the legislature on initiatives to advance the health, independence, and quality of life for people with disabilities.
To increase employment and independence, we passed the ABLE Act; legislation that provides people with disabilities and their families the ability to create a tax-exempt savings account that can be used for maintaining health, independence and quality of life. We also passed Inspire New York; legislation that creates a tax credit to incentivize employers to hire individuals with a developmental disability that are unemployed or a current employee of a sheltered workshop.
We continue our work to decrease the stigma associated with disabilities and mental health by creating the Mental Health Public Awareness Tax Check Off, which allows taxpayers the ability to make a tax-free donation that will fund mental health public awareness campaigns across the state to help end the stigma associated with mental illness and encourage those in need of help to seek treatment. Legislation was also passed in New York State that requires the removal of the word handicapped from new or replaced state signage, as well as update and eliminate the stigma of the old the Accessibility Logo.
It is truly amazing how far we have come, but there is still imperative work that needs to be done to improve the lives of people with disabilities. As we celebrate this important anniversary, please join me in re-affirming your commitment to the ADA by signing the national pledge here.
Sincerely,
David Carlucci
New York State Senator
38th Senate District
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