Emily F. Keller

House of Representatives Votes Against CLASS Act

    The U.S. House of Representatives voted to repeal the Community Living Assistance Service and Support (CLASS) Act but the bill remains in limbo. 

    The CLASS Act, a long-term care insurance program that is part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, was intended to provide payment assistance for people who develop physical disabilities to live independently.

Blind Law School Graduate Wins Case to Become Lawyer

    Cathryn Bonnette has won her first legal battle: earning the right to practice law in Washington, D.C.

    On July 13^th, Bonnette won her case against the D.C. Court of Appeals and the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE), earning the right to take the exam with her chosen form of technology. She then passed the test, according to the Memorandum Opinion for the case that she filed with the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

    Bonnette is a legally blind law school graduate in Arlington, Virginia who sought to take the Multistate Bar Exam in July using a computer with the accessible screen-reading program Job Access With Speech (JAWS), according to the decision filed by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.

City Council Proposes Business Accessibility Bills

    A City Council hearing late last year has led to two new bills promoting business accessibility.

    City Council Member Deborah Rose is the primary sponsor of Intro 744, which would require agencies to educate business owners on issues concerning access for persons with disabilities. The bill is co-sponsored by 19 Council members.

    The bill would require the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) to work with city agencies to develop an education plan for business owners. According to the bill, “Such plan shall include, but not be limited to, education on federal, state and local disability access laws, common barriers to accessibility, and methods to help pay for modifications that are required to meet accessible standards.”

Obituary of Arleen Wolsiefer Probeyahn

    Arleen Wolsiefer Probeyahn, an advocate for people with disabilities who had three autistic sons, passed away on October 19th. Her husband of fifty years, Roy Probeyahn, said the cause of her death was heart failure.

    Probeyahn was born in Queens and raised in Merrick, Long Island. She met her husband at Wellington C. Mepham High School in North Bellmore, where both were students, and the two were married in Merrick in 1961. The three Probeyahn sons – Roy, Jr., Michael, & Glenn – are now in their 40s.

Obituary of Judy Record

    Judy Record, a longtime member and former chair of the Suffolk County Handicap Advisory Board (now known as the Suffolk County Disabilities Advisory Board), has passed away. She was 69.

    Her husband Gilbert Record said, “I’m still reeling from it. I miss her so much. We were so close for 41 plus years. It’s just very hard to get used to it. Judy always had a smile – always – and I never heard her say a bad word about anybody. She was just an upbeat positive person especially so even with all her aches and pains. I think I was very lucky to have her and I wish I had her longer.”

United Nations Celebrates International Day of Persons with Disabilities

    On December 2^nd, the United Nations (UN) celebrated the 19^th annual International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a tradition started by the General Assembly in 1992. The theme of this year’s event was: Together for a better world for all: Including persons with disabilities in development.

     The day included a discussion of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), a human rights treaty establishing international legal standards for governments and international governmental organizations to promote equality in the areas of health, education, international cooperation, gender equality and standard of living.

Outer Borough Taxi Plan with Accessible Medallions On Hold

    Legislation to allow livery cabs to pick up street hails in the outer boroughs and increase the number of accessible medallions has been stalled.

     The legislation was passed in June but Governor Andrew Cuomo said he will not sign the bill until several issues have been resolved, including wheelchair accessibility.

Obituary of Matthew Sapolin

    The first Commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities has died.

    Matthew Sapolin, 41, passed away on November 29^th. The cause of death was cancer, which he had battled since childhood.

    Sapolin was born in Islip, New York. He became blind at age five from bilateral retinoblastoma, a cancer affecting the optic nerve. 

    He held a BA in Philosophy from New York University (NYU), where he was co-captain of the wrestling team. Sapolin earned the University Athletic Association Athlete of the Week honor three times and received the President's Service Award for Volunteerism and Community Service upon graduating. He also held an MA in Public Health Administration from NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service.

Senator Harkin Holds Transportation Accessibility Hearing

    U.S. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, who introduced the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), is weighing in on the accessible taxi debate in New York City.

    Harkin held a hearing called “The Americans with Disabilities Act and Accessible Transportation: Challenges and Opportunities” November 17^th to reflect on recent developments including a class action discrimination lawsuit by the Taxis For All Campaign against the City’s Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC).

    The Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee sponsored the hearing where experts in the field were invited to speak.

Mayor’s Office Holds Disability Mentoring Day

    The Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) held a series of events for Disability Mentoring Day, a part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

    The eighth annual event linked jobs seekers who have disabilities with potential employers and provided opportunities for networking, mentoring and work experience in the job seekers’ preferred fields.

    The main event took place October 19 when job seekers were able to shadow professionals to gain knowledge about their day-to-day work and how to prepare for their careers. The employers learned about the value that people with disabilities bring to their professions.