The first bill (A.10734-A/S.7817) creates the MTA Riders Council for People with Disabilities, a 14-member appointed council will be geographically diverse representing riders who use NYC Transit, the Long Island Rail Road, and Metro North systems. The Council will have a non-voting seat on the MTA Board and will monitor all aspects of the MTA and make recommendations as to how to improve services. The Assembly is expected to take up this bill on Monday. The second bill (A.10420/S.7348) requires daily inspections of elevators, escalators, bus lifts, and other accessibility features in MTA facilities and establishes documentation requirements and oversight for their repair.

“The MTA has been failing the disabled community when it comes to meeting our transportation needs,” said Assembly Member Micah Kellner, who has cerebral palsy. “In 2007, I requested documents for eight elevators in ADA-compliant passenger stations to better understand how the MTA maintains features like elevators. What I found was an unacceptable number of outages, repeated breakdowns in the same station for the same problem, a disturbing lack of paper record-keeping, and a poor track record of fixing problems quickly. This is no small matter. When an escalator, elevator, or wheelchair lift is inoperable it means that a person with a disability is stranded.”

“The list of reasons why these changes are necessary is endless. For example, even the new, improved subway announcements – let alone the old garbled ones – are hard for the hearing impaired to understand,” said Senator Tom Duane. “Platform gaps on the LIRR threaten the safety of the visually impaired and wheelchair users. The recent closure of station agent booths in the subways has only worsened the situation for disabled riders who are able to overcome other obstacles to access that system, and these are only a few of the problems. The MTA needs to hear from people with disabilities and learn from their experiences. The best way to do this is to correct the lack of representation of people with disabilities on the board of the MTA itself.”

“For years, the MTA’s failure to carry out mandated inspections, as required by the building code, left frail and disabled riders in a situation resembling Russian Roulette,” said Borough President Scott Stringer. I believe the agency’s new leadership wants to make the system safe and reliable for people with disabilities – and this legislation will provide a framework for doing that. I urge the swift passage of both bills.” In 2006, Borough President Stringer released his report, The State of Repairs, which found that 74% of all elevators in ADA-compliant stations did not receive their mandated annual inspection and that the average elevator in an ADA-compliant station was out for 11 days.

“Seldom a day goes by where we do not receive a phone call or email message from someone who has had a negative experience with the MTA.,” says Lawrence Carter-Long, the Director of Advocacy of Disabilities Network of NYC. ” A breakdown in, or lack of transportation options for people with disabilities affects every other area of our lives – if you can’t get to or from your residence, place of business, or health care provider, your quality of life is diminished. Rather than solve the transportation problems faced by New Yorkers with disabilities, the MTA seems more inclined to add to them. These bills provide a necessary and overdue remedy the MTA has been unwilling to provide on its own.”

“We believe holding the MTA to greater accountability on elevator and escalator repairs as well as the creation of a MTA Riders Council for People with Disabilities can only improve the accessibility of NYC Transit and assure riders with disabilities that it is safe to ride the subways,” said Carr Massi, President of Disabled in Action of Metropolitan New York.

“BCID has been requesting a seat at the MTA table as a representative of the community of people with disabilities for many years,” said Marvin Wasserman, Executive Director of Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled (BCID). “The passage of this legislation will guarantee full representation from the whole community of people with disabilities, not just a select few working within the community.”

“Appropriate access for people with disabilities is a civil right and a human right. It is time the ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] applied to mass transit,” said Janice Schacter, Chair of the Hearing Access Program (a consortium of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the League for the Hard of Hearing, and Hearing Loss Association of America).

“Hearing directly from people with disabilities through the proposed MTA Riders Council for People with Disabilities is a needed reform. The MTA needs to address the problems of accessibility, signage, and staff training to make transportation in NYC truly available to all,” said Nancy D. Miller, Executive Director of VISIONS/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

“Access to public transportation is critical for people with disabilities to live fruitful and productive lives and it is essential that public transportation is accessible, reliable, and safe all the time. We appreciate the efforts of Assemblyman Kellner and Senator Duane in support of the needs of NYC citizens with disabilities,” said Susan Constantino, President and CEO of Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State.

“Guide Dog Users of New York is primarily eager to have consistent tactile edge markings at all subway stations. These small raised domes warn blind and visually-impaired people when they are nearing the platform edge and can save lives,” said David De Porte, President of Guide Dog Users of New York.

“We strongly support the quick enactment of both bills. An MTA Riders Council for People with Disabilities will give our community direct and sustained input to the MTA Board of Directors about making its entire system more friendly to wheelchair users and other aging and disabled passengers. Making subway elevator and escalator maintenance a higher priority is essential and long overdue. There is zero access to the subway system for our wheelchair-using members if elevators are always broken,” said Terence J. Moakley, spokesperson for the United Spinal Association.

“The NYC Chapter of the National MS Society fully supports legislation to create the MTA Riders Council for people with disabilities. Our members experience a variety of challenges using mass transit, including inaccessible subway stations, non-working elevators, inadequate signage, and dangerously large gaps between platforms and trains. As a result of these problems, people living with MS often cannot get to work or visit their families. It is crucial that people with disabilities have a voice on the MTA,” said Robin Einbinder, Executive Vice president of Programs and Services at the NYC Chapter of the National MS Society.

“We have long called for the MTA to increase elevator/escalator inspection, repairs and maintenance, as well as requiring a higher degree of accountability. We believe they also need to improve their communication with riders. Many passengers with disabilities refuse to use the subways because they are fearful of being stuck when an elevator/escalator is out of service,” said Edith M. Prentiss of the 504 Democratic Club.

“When people with disabilities believe they are able to travel safely and expediently on the subways, this saves the City and the MTA money. Both of these initiatives will help to increase the number of wheelchair users who ride buses and trains with confidence, thereby decreasing reliance on Access-A-Ride,” said Joe Rapporport of the Taxis For All Campaign.

“Elevator and escalator outages rank near the top among the myriad of barriers faced by persons with disabilities when attempting to use our mass transit system,” said Michael Harris, Executive Director of the Disabled Riders Coalition. “Sadly, the MTA has historically failed to recognize that we are fare-paying customers and deserve the same consideration as our non-disabled peers. Not only will this legislation force the MTA to address the issues of elevator and escalator maintenance, more importantly it will finally give riders with disabilities a seat at the table. I look forward to being in Albany on Monday where I hope to watch the Assembly pass this important legislation.”

Just go to http://www.unitedspinal.org/pdf/displaying_our_flag.pdf for your copy.

It is customary to display the flag outside only from sunrise to sunset; however, the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.

On Memorial Day in particular, the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon, and then at peak until the end of the day. To fly our flag at half-staff, it should first be elevated to peak, held there momentarily, and then lowered; at the end of the day, the flag should again be elevated to peak before lowering it.

You will also learn about the days of each year when our flag should be displayed; proper disposal of an American flag when it is worn out; and, the proper positioning of the American flag when it is displayed with two or more flags.

A Spanish language version entitled Como Exhibir Nuestra Bandera may also be downloaded free at http://www.unitedspinal.org/pdf/exhibir_bandera.pdf.

Many gave up good jobs to serve this nation, and now they are being discriminated against when they try to re-enter the work force, because they have a disability.

A number of recent court cases have enabled employers to say that a person is too disabled to do the job, but not disabled enough to be protected by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Disabled veterans and other Americans with disabilities are caught in this ridiculous “Catch-22” bind.

VetsFirst, a program of United Spinal Association, believes that every disabled veteran has the right to work.

You can help too, by taking decisive action now. Twenty-one veterans and military groups, and more than 100 disability organizations are in full support of the passage of the ADA Restoration Act. In the coming weeks, we anticipate that the House of Representatives will vote on the ADA Restoration Act, after which the bill will go to the Senate.

Click here to read more, and to quickly send email messages in support of the ADA Restoration Act to your Congressional Representative and Senators – http://www.unitedspinal.org/publications/vetsfirst/disabled-veterans-should-have-the-right-to-work-2/.

To read these articles, go to www.unitedspinal.org/publications/action/.

In New Access At Old Ball Game, the organization’s Accessibility Services Director, Dominic Marinelli, discusses some of the unique disability access features that will be included in the new Yankee Stadium and in Citi Field, the new home of the New York Mets.

For example, at the new Yankee Stadium, people with hearing disabilities will be able to read all public address announcements on captioning boards located on the third and the first base facades. And in both new stadiums, much higher numbers of wheelchair seating locations will be available than in the current stadiums and they will be built on pedestals to provide clear lines of sight for wheelchair-using fans.

In two separate feature articles, United Spinal Association’s Jennifer Perry writes about “visitability,” a new design approach calling for a disability-accessible path of travel, an accessible entrance, and a minimally-accessible bathroom on the entrance level only of newly-constructed private homes, while frequent Action Online contributor Beth Livingston provides an account of an overnight stay at the home of friends that makes a very strong case for including visitability features in new private housing.

Ms. Perry’s piece notes that the American National Standards Institute recently adopted basic but optional visitability provisions in its disability accessibility standard which could be adopted by states or municipalities across the country. And in Diminished Visitability, Ms. Livingston vividly describes having herself and her wheelchair carried up two flights of stairs to her friends’ tiny apartment, and then reversing the same trip on her own the next morning! Hers is a story that every reader will enjoy, and that many wheelchair users will identify with.

Featured speakers at this important event include Andrew J. Imparato, President, the American Association of People with Disabilities, and Christine M. Griffin, Commissioner, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Also presenting at this Summit will be Dr. George Giuliani, Associate Professor, Hofstra University School of Education & Allied Human Services, and Eleanor Smith, Executive Director, Concrete Change.

This event is intended to give individuals with disabilities a venue to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing them in the 21st century. Your voice will be heard, and you can make a difference.

The Disability Leadership & Policy Summit provides an unprecedented opportunity to individuals with disabilities to share their insights and suggestions with some of the best minds in the disability community. The Summit is sponsored by United Spinal Association, the Nassau County Office for the Physically Challenged, and Hofstra University’s School of Education.

Registration for the Summit is free, by emailing SummitInfo@unitedspinal.org, or by calling 718 – 803 – 3782, ext. 233.

The conference is for doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, and therapists who treat individuals with spinal cord injuries or disorders like multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, post-polio, and ALS, and provides continuing medical education credits for those that attend.

More than 120 education sessions and over 100 poster presentations will cover topics from research advances that limit long term spinal cord injury damage, to support programs for the family members of persons living with these conditions.

Complete information about “The 2008 Congress of Spinal Cord Injury Medicine and Rehabilitation Conference” can be found at http://www.spinalcordcongress.org.

Sponsoring organizations of this conference include the American Paraplegia Society, the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Nurses, the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Psychologists and Social Workers, and the Therapy Leadership Council for Spinal Cord Injury.

United Spinal Association, a non-profit organization that has been fighting for veterans and disability rights for over 60 years, provides substantial administrative support to these organizations for this conference.

Paul J. Tobin, President of United Spinal Association, remarked, “this year’s conference agenda is more diverse than ever before, and we are extremely pleased that conference attendees will be able to explore the latest in medical technology and products for wheelchair users at United Spinal’s concurrent Independence Expo 2008.”

Created by United Spinal Association, a non-profit organization that has been fighting for veterans rights for over 60 years, this publication advises that career active duty personnel should start planning 24 months in advance of their retirement and other members of the military should begin planning 12 months before their separation from service, because leaving the military is a complicated process.

Transition Assistance Programs are ongoing in each branch of the military, and these programs offer pre-separation counseling, employment workshops, veterans’ benefits briefings, and a Disabled Transition Assistance Program for disabled veterans. Persons retired or separated from the military are eligible for transition assistance for up to 180 days after leaving active duty.

United Spinal’s “Military Separation Guide” emphasizes the importance of the retiree and veteran having all of their military records in their possession, and of insuring that such records are correct, before they leave active duty status. The “Military Separation Guide” also provides detailed information concerning relocation assistance and Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation, education and training benefits.

Other important issues in this publication for individuals leaving active duty military service include: health insurance for the retiree/veteran and family members/survivors; life insurance; mortgage protection life insurance for certain veterans with severe service-connected disabilities; VA/FHA home loans; business loans; rural loans; VA health care eligibility and services; VA compensation and pension; local Vet Centers; state veterans benefits; and, VA vocational rehabilitation and education for certain service-connected disabled veterans.

The latest issue of Action Online Magazine focuses on important travel issues such as accessible hotel guestrooms, making cruise ship reservations, and traveling on commercial aircraft.

Whether the person with a disability is making a hotel guestroom, cruise ship, or airlines reservation, “the key is asking the right questions,” according to Stephanie Acosta of ABLE to Travel, a full service accredited agency that specializes in booking trouble-free wheelchair travel plans.

“Always call a day or two before arrival to make certain that the wheelchair access accommodations that you requested are in place,” continued Ms. Acosta, “or by booking your trip through ABLE to Travel, we’ll do this leg work for you.”

This issue also features Paralympic athlete Muffy Davis and her nine month journey to a dozen different countries to teach adaptive wheelchair sports.

And finally, learn more about an important yet little-known service: renting a wheelchair-accessible vehicle at your destination. You can do this in more than 450 North American cities, but only at rare destinations outside the USA.

Go to http://www.unitedspinal.org/publications/action/ to learn more.

United Spinal Association reminds Americans in these circumstances that they must file an income tax return this year to receive their economic stimulus payment.

Under the Economic Stimulus Act, people may be eligible for the minimum payment of $300 ($600 for married couples) even if they have not filed a tax return in many, many years.

To receive this minimum economic stimulus payment from the government, people must have at least $3,000 in any combination of benefits payments or income from:
• Retirement, disability, or survivors’ benefits from the Social Security Administration
• Disability compensation, disability pension, or survivors’ benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs
• Tier 1 benefits from Railroad Retirement
• Certain combat pay and earned income from wages, salaries, tips or net earnings from self-employment that are included in taxable income.

Some 20.5 million Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits recipients who did not file a 2006 income tax return should receive in the mail a 1040A-3 package with a simplified form to complete and return to receive their economic stimulus payment.

Paul J. Tobin, President of United Spinal Association, noted that “many Americans with long-term disabilities may not be aware that they can qualify simply for this payment, but only if they file a tax return; all we are trying to do is to bring this message to a traditionally underserved segment of our society.”

United Spinal Association is the host organization for this important event.

Under the Economic Stimulus Act, people may be eligible for the minimum payment of $300 ($600 for married couples) even if they have not filed a tax return for many, many years. But, to receive the minimum payment, you must file a tax return this year.

To receive this minimum economic stimulus payment from the government, people must have at least $3,000 in any combination of benefits payments or income from:
• Retirement, disability, or survivors’ benefits from the Social Security Administration
• Disability compensation, disability pension, or survivors’ benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs
• Tier 1 benefits from Railroad Retirement
• Certain combat pay and earned income from wages, salaries, tips or net earnings from self-employment that are included in taxable income.

Some 20.5 million Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits recipients who did not file a 2006 income tax return should receive in the mail a 1040A-3 package with a simplified form to complete and return to receive their economic stimulus payment.
Paul J. Tobin, President of United Spinal Association, noted that “many Americans with long-term disabilities may not be aware that they can qualify simply for this payment, but only if they file a tax return; all we are trying to do is to bring this message to a traditionally underserved segment of our society.”