“This is a victory for all New Yorkers with developmental disabilities and their families. During and after the passage of this year’s state budget, my conference colleagues and I took a dedicated lead on trying to restore the $90 million that was cut from the Office of People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) budget. In March, we introduced an amendment that would do just that, but the measure was defeated. Today, with the help of Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, we have been successful in our mission to completely restore the $90 million in funding to OPWDD. We are excited to say that the money that has been secured in this agreement will go a long way to provide the necessary staff, services, and living conditions for the most vulnerable in our society.”