Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara announced that he helped pass legislation to improve anti-discrimination protections for people with disabilities and expand access to critical resources. These bills were passed in honor of this year’s Legislative Disabilities Awareness Day (May 24th).

“While our normal Legislative Disabilities Awareness Day schedule was once again impacted by COVID-19, I’m proud to support new legislation this year that will help make New York a more fair and inclusive community for all,” said Assemblyman Santabarbara, Chair of the NYS Assembly’s Sub-Committee on Autism Spectrum Disorders. “People with disabilities, like my son Michael, can face significant barriers when it comes to employment, housing and a number of other areas. It’s critical that we ensure they have every opportunity to live healthy, independent and rewarding lives."

Those with disabilities are often overlooked for employment opportunities, a sad reality that prevents capable individuals from entering the workforce. To help address this issue, Santabarbara co-sponsored and helped pass legislation to establish a small-business tax credit for businesses that hire a people with disabilities (A.3960). The credit amount ranges from $5,000 to $25,000. In addition, Santabarbara co-sponsored and passed a bill to re-establish the Office of the Advocate for People with Disabilities to advocate for the state’s disability community and ensure their rights are protected (A.3130). He also helped pass legislation that protects the rights of state employees under 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 (A.7121).