• Advocacy Call to Action

    This page indexes all the advocacy issues covered by BRIDGES Please review the topics and proceed to the next page for detailed actions.
  • For your reference, you can search for your legislator at the following official websites before proceeding:

    NY Assembly Member Search

    NY State Senator Finder

  • Requiring Pharmacies to Provide Prescription Drug Readers

    S1740/A4039 would require pharmacies to provide prescription drug readers for individuals who are blind, visually impaired, or otherwise unable to read standard medication labels. Thousands of New Yorkers face daily barriers to safely managing their medications due to inaccessible prescription information. In communities like Rockland County, where more than 17,000 residents live with vision loss and a growing older population faces similar challenges, this is a serious public health issue. Prescription drug readers are a simple, effective solution that can prevent medication errors, improve independence, and save lives. Everyone deserves equal access to clear and usable healthcare information. Please support S1740/A4039 and help ensure that all New Yorkers can safely manage their medications!
  • Bill Weber (SD-38)
    Email: weber@nysenate.gov

    Phone: (845) 623-3627

  • Pete Harckham (SD-40)
    Email: harckham@nysenate.gov

    Phone: (914) 241-4600

  • Dana Levenberg (AD-95)
    Email: levenbergd@nyassembly.gov

    Phone: 914-941-1111

  • Patrick J. Carroll (AD-96)

    Email: carrollp@nyassembly.gov

    Phone: 845-634-9791

  • Aron Wieder (AD-97)
    Email: wiedera@nyassembly.gov

    Phone: 845-624-4601

  • Karl Brabenec (AD-98)


    Email: brabeneck@nyassembly.gov

    Phone: 845-544-7551

  • Chris Eachus (AD-99)
    Email: eachusc@nyassembly.gov

    Phone: 845-469-6929

  • Jay Hood Jr. (District 3 Legislator)
    Email: HoodJ@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5269

  • Douglas J. Jobson (District 1 Legislator)
    Email: JobsonD@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5753

  • Paul C. Cleary (District 2 Legislator)
    Email: ClearyP@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5751

  • Itamar Yeger (District 4 Legislator)
    Email: YegerIt@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5752

  • Lon M. Hofstein (District 5 Legislator - Minority Leader)
    Email: HofsteiL@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5751

  • Alden H. Wolfe (District 6 Legislator - Majority Leader)
    Email: WolfeA@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5754

  • Philip Soskin (District 7 Legislator - 2nd Vice Chair)
    Email: SoskinP@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5754

  • Toney L. Earl (District 8 Legislator)
    Email: EarlT@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5752

  • Raymond W. Sheridan III (District 9 Legislator - Deputy Minority Leader)
    Email: SheridaR@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5754

  • Beth J. Davidson (District 10 Legislator)
    Email: DavidsoB@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5753

  • Walter "Will" J. Kennelly (District 11 Legislator)
    Email: KennellW@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5753

  • Jesse M. Malowitz (District 12 Legislator)
    Email: MalowitJ@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5751

  • Moshe Hopstein (District 13 Legislator)
    Email: HopsteiM@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5754

  • Aney Paul (District 14 Legislator - Legislative Vice Chair)
    Email: PaulA@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5753

  • Joel Friedman (District 15 Legislator)
    Email: FriedmaJ@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5752

  • Thomas F. Diviny (District 16 Legislator)
    Email: DivinyT@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5752

  • Dana G. Stilley (District 17 Legislator - Deputy Majority Leader)
    Email: StilleyD@co.rockland.ny.us
    Phone: (845) 638-5751

  • Preserve Access to the NHTD Waiver!

    In January, a cap was placed on the number of enrollees in the Nursing Home Transition Diversion (NHTD) Waiver. The waiver immediately hit capacity, and they have stopped accepting any new referrals.

    The NHTD Waiver was developed by the disability community to provide a unique and necessary set of community-based services. There is no process in place for someone seeking these services to get them once a spot opens up. Right now, someone who needs these waiver services would have to call the Regional Resource Development Center (RRDC) in their region every single day to see if there is a spot open and start the enrollment process.

    A.10403 (Paulin)/S.9573 (Rivera) creates a region-specific waitlist for the waiver. If this bill is not passed this week, people with disabilities and their families will spend the rest of the year wondering if they will ever be able to access these services, with no answers or path forward. Disabled people have fought decades for our right to live in the community. Don’t let session end without a way for us to get out and stay out of institutions.

    Tell the Legislature it is time to take action and pass A.10403 (Paulin)/A.9573 (Rivera).

  • Carl Heastie (Assembly Speaker)
    Email: speaker@nyassembly.gov

    Phone: 518-455-3791

  • Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins
    Email: scousins@nysenate.gov
    Phone: 518-455-2800

  • Tell the Assembly to Pass the Wheelchair Repair Bill of Rights!

    On Tuesday, the Senate passed the Consumer Wheelchair Repair Bill of Rights (A.6569-B/S.4500-B) unanimously, after hard work from the Independent Living community to move the bill forward. This bill would improve repair processes for wheelchair users by requiring wheelchair manufacturers to provide any documents and parts needed to consumers who want to perform repairs themselves. It also establishes a timeline repair providers must adhere to for timely wheelchair repairs, eliminates prior authorizations for repairs, and establishes oversight of repair processes.In the Assembly, A.6569-B is stalled, and there are only two days left to pass it. The Assembly is holding the bill due to concerns from two large national repair providers, even though this is a consumer bill of rights. Being without functional mobility equipment can leave wheelchair users bed bound, at high risk for pressure sores and other life-threatening issues. When repairs do not happen in a timely manner, people lose the ability to engage meaningfully with their community, cutting them off from their job, family, friends, and medical care. Despite hearing from advocates who shared their firsthand experiences with repair delays, the Assembly has prioritized appeasing corporations instead of standing up for the well-being and independence of wheelchair users.Disabled New Yorkers wait months for their wheelchairs to be repaired. The legislature shouldn't make us wait months for a solution too. Call Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie TODAY to tell him A.6569-B (Bores) must be passed!
  • Carl Heastie (Assembly Speaker)

    Email: speaker@nyassembly.gov

    Phone: 514-455-2800

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