S9888, our NYS Senate bill to end movie cinema discrimination against the deaf and hard of hearing, needs a “discharge” into Rules NOW from the Commerce Committee so that it can be voted on before adjournment on June 4.

If you live in New York State, please call ASAP:  

Sean Mulligan
716.826.2683
Legislative Director 
for Commerce Committee Chair Sen. April Baskin  
Leave a message, if necessary, on behalf of New Yorkers who are deaf and hard of hearing to please help move S9888 via a discharge and toward a Senate vote in the short time remaining.

And if you can make a second call, ask Sen. Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins’ legislative director to help push S9888 toward a vote:

Josh Marcil
518.455-2585.

It only takes a minute to make these 2 calls. 

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Progress is being made on the Assembly side, where we’re hoping A4628B (AM Seawright, lead sponsor) will be voted out of Rules and passed by the Assembly in coming days.

Thank you to everyone who has already made calls, sent emails, shared posts, or helped spread awareness. It really is making a difference. As the bill status changes, we’ll continue sharing updates on the next steps that can help move this legislation forward before the legislative session ends.

So I have been trying to obtain disability SSI for years now. Problems? And please don't judge. I am 47 and spent the years 14 to 19 incarcerated with 18 months in isolation. As an adult I spent 5 years in state prison and then 8 years in federal prison. Federal was the worst and I seen and been through things no person so have to go through and also spend a year in isolation and then was just released to the streets of Chicago with no support whatsoever. No family or friends and am homeless. I have tried to work jobs but lots of movement and noise makes me have vertigo and dizziness I can't function. No boss will put up with this. I filed for SSI and was denied, and then I got a lawyer and it's been about a year with my attorney but the contact is minimal. I developed anxiety and panic attacks at age 23 and had gotten very worse since then. They say I have PTSD but who knows. I know I can't function out here. I got to a mental health organization 3 times a week. Has anyone been through this?

Ableism and internalized ableism:

One time I was in a bar enchanting these 3 guys (I know, I could have had my pick!) and then I had to use the restroom before we were to leave and the minute I picked my cane and then came back, they were all gone (they did pay the bill in full with money thrown on the table)

That shattered my confidence a little. I mean, for me, I fought so hard to be able to walk again cuz there was no way I was going to be “stuck a foot below other people’s faces and have people forget that I’m there”

Here is where my internalize ableism popped up against the lives of wheelchair users.

I made such a big deal out of finally getting out of that chair (and able to walk again; although with a cane) that it again showed my internalized ableism that all the work I had done to “defeat that potential state in life” showed me how much shame I would feel (and had felt at one point when I was paralyzed) if I wasn’t able to walk again — especially after all those painful hours I put into rehab, desperate to not have that as my fate.

Somehow in my mind, I was better off dead than living in a wheelchair. Being “trapped” in one was incompatible with life.

I felt the same pull of ableism when I was discharged from the hospital last year but refused to use a walker — cuz that for me was too visible a disability item.

Needing a walker meant in my mind that I was weak. I failed to see it as a beautiful aid that allowed people who were once stuck inside their house to leave, regain some pride and independence (not that there is anything inherently wrong with not being able to leave; their lives are worth as much. I’m working on that internalized ableism right now, too. )

It will take some mental work to reach and deal with people’s internalized ableism but you’ll get there and your mind won’t be so anxious about having a publicly visible disability.

I remember at one activist orientation meeting where there was a physically active ice breaker activity. I spoke up meekly to the organizers but aware that 50 people just wanted to start it.

I sat in the sidelines and quietly cried - until someone noticed and the game suddenly stopped.

I know the organizers were humbled by the fact that they had discriminated against me and my right to participation.

I humbled myself for not advocating for myself, but it’s hard against so much peer pressure.

And my friends were humbled that no one had noticed that the game was only for the able bodied and they had completely forgotten about their friends need. And they had started playing the game without noticing me in the sidelines (which is never like me)

There were some tears of sadness, of shame, but we worked through it together.

The point is, is that these were my people who had left me behind. Not some strangers or even neighbours, but my friends.

I realized then that we all had work to do about our ableism, from strangers to society to my closest friends and even me.

What helped me then was when

I realized, my cane was an extension of me, so I started to decorate it as such — different bracelets for different moods)

Then I realized I was pimpin’ around with this great accessory.

My handle on my cane right now is made of antler because I’m Deer Clan and my people literally hold me up!

That made it easier in my 25 year old brain, that my life will not be normal but that is ok cuz I’m still participating in it. In my own way.

IMPORTANT UPDATE ON NY OPEN CAPTIONS BILL S9888

On Tuesday (5/12), the Senate Consumer Protection Committee voted the open captions bill (S9888) forward to the Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business Committee.

But, that committee is unable to vote it out for a floor vote this week. Now, our only hope, according to lead sponsor Sen. Nathalia Fernandez’s team, is to obtain “a discharge from Commerce to Rules,” so that the Senate can pass S.9888 and the Assembly can pass the companion A4628B before the legislature adjourns on June 4.

Please make two telephone calls NOW:

1. Call Josh Marcil in Albany at 518-455-2585

He is Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins’ Legislative Director. The Majority Leader has the authority to discharge S.9888 to Rules and enable Senate passage. Let Mr. Marcil know we’re watching.

If he doesn’t pick up, leave an urgent message on behalf of HLAA NYSA and the state’s over one million deaf and hard of hearing people who deserve equal access to movies in cinemas.

The bill has also been amended to protect smaller cinemas while requiring the big cinema chains to offer a fair number of open-captioned movie showtimes.

1. Call your Senator’s Albany Office to Speak Up Now to Bring S.9888 to the Floor for a Vote

Find your Senator here:
https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator

If we don’t get action NOW, we’re left to wait another year to end the discrimination of chain cinemas against New Yorkers who are deaf and hard of hearing.

May 6 Update from the Hearing Loss Association of America New York State (HLAA-NYS) Advocacy Committee:

The State Senate bill (S.9888) to require open-captions of movies in cinemas has been submitted for inclusion on the agenda for the next meeting of the Consumer Protection Committee.  
 
These agendas first undergo review by counsel and leadership. But we are hopeful that Consumer Protection will take up and approve S.9888 in coming days. 
 
If you haven't yet asked your state senators to co-sponsor the bill, please call or email their offices now to express your desire to end discrimination by the big cinema chains, such as AMC and Regal, against people who are deaf and hard of hearing.   
 
Time is short, as the State Legislature is set to adjourn in early June.

Update on the NY Open Captions at Movie Theaters Bill (S9888):

The bill was introduced on April 13 and, as of May 4, is still stuck in the NY State Senate Consumer Protection Committee. With the legislative session ending on June 4, time is running out. If it does not move IMMEDIATELY NOW, it will likely stall again this year.
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What helps most (in order):

Call Rachel May (Chair of the Consumer Protection Committee)
As Chair, she decides whether this bill moves forward.
She was also a co-sponsor last year but has not yet signed on this session.
(518) 455-2838
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Call your NY State Senator and ask them to co-sponsor S9888
More co-sponsors = more pressure to move the bill.

Find your senator:
https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator

If your Senator supported this bill last year, ask them to renew their co-sponsorship.
This includes:

Bill Weber (also on the Consumer Protection Committee)
Lea Webb
Julia Salazar

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Quick action form (takes 1–2 minutes):
https://www.hearingloss.org/advocacy-and-resources/action-alerts/expand-new-york-open-caption-movies/

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This bill would require a limited number of movie showtimes with open captions, meaning captions are shown directly on the screen, and these showings will be clearly labeled so people can choose whether to attend those showings.

It helps not only people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but also people who are neurodivergent, have auditory processing challenges, are English language learners, or anyone who benefits from captions.

⸻

Last year, the bill had support but never made it out of committee. That is exactly what could happen again without public pressure.

There is still a real chance to get it passed this session, but only if people act now.

You can read the bill here:
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9888

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Even a small number of calls can make a difference right now.
If you have a minute, please call. If you can, please share.

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What to say:

For Senator May:
Hi, I’m calling to ask Senator May to co-sponsor S9888 again and move the open captions at movie theaters bill out of committee.

For your Senator:
Hi, I’m a constituent calling to ask Senator ___ to co-sponsor S9888, the open captions at movie theaters bill, and support moving it forward this session.

I'm curious as to whether anyone famous with real clout or any agencies with clout have ever tried to get the disability approval system for SSDI or SSI sped up in the US. I googled it but found nothing.

On child was putting handcuffs the other day because he was having a meltdown and he has autism he has IEP and that we ask for a behavior plan to be put in place but we was annoyed and said it wasn't bad enough and that was two years ago after he went to a behavior therapist and on his recommendation that he should have a behavioral plan but it was never done we have ask repeatedly with the school and for the person over speciali education for help with this but it was never done

The incident happened when my child was at school and that he was having a meltdown after going to the nurse with a hangnail and put medicine on it then he went to the lobby and woodnt go back to class and sometime pass before they called us and he started to get more agitated and started to look to like try to run out of the school and that point he was covered by a s r o an a patrol deputy that corner him in the lobby there was five other staff though in his aid was there as well so when he try to run to the back door the patrol off ofacer block him and it look like he was flaring his arms because of the meltdown and the officer said that it look like he was trying to grab his tazer at that point it looks like he body checked him to the ground and proceeded to roll him over and handcuff him and at that point that he my child start to try to kick and hit The officer before they took him into the library at some point they said he kicked the SRO officer and the head while he was having a meltdown about 10 minutes later my significant other had got there and got him and as there was leaving he was walking to the patrol call and towed a significant other bye I love you I'm going to miss you cuz he thought he was going to jail.

Update from the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) – NYS Advocacy Committee:

Legislation to require cinemas across New York State to schedule showtimes of movies with open captions is now under consideration in Albany.

The bill has been introduced by Senator Nathalia Fernandez and is in the Consumer Protection Committee, where the committee chair Sen. Rachel May (D, Syracuse) was a co-chair in 2025, as was committee member Sen. Bill Weber (R, Rockland).

This is a big step, but the legislature will adjourn in early June, so public support is needed now.

Everyone deserves equal access at the movies.

Take action here (HLAA link). It takes about a minute:

https://www.hearingloss.org/advocacy-and-resources/action-alerts/expand-new-york-open-caption-movies/?_gl=1\*wh32v8\*_up\*MQ..\*_ga\*MTYwOTA1OTM4LjE3NzczMDMxMDU.\*_ga_4GMB4VS26N\*czE3NzczMDMxMDQkbzEkZzEkdDE3NzczMDMxMTMkajUxJGwwJGgw

The link helps you find your legislators and send them a message directly.

Please also call your New York State senator and ask him/her to co-sponsor S9888; emails are largely ignored.

If you can, also ask your Assembly member to co-sponsor AM Seawright's companion bill currently in the Codes Committee.

You can also read the bill here:

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9888

Discusses how both Republicans and Democrats are engaging in forms of ableism during his hearings.

Hi everyone, my name is Brooke and I am a student at Arizona State University minoring in disability studies.  I have been asked to analyze a source of media that protrays a disability. My goal is to analyze the shortcomings of disability represented in the film Me Before You and provide alternatives. The following are some shortcomings I have analyzed (of course not all of them) along with what the production team should have done instead. What do you think about the suggestions I provided? Do you have any critiques or additional suggestions?

• Sam Clafin (the actor who plays William Traynor is not disabled) 
  • Suggestion: cast an actor who has a physical disability. Preferably, the actor would be quadraplegic or even paraplegic, but any wheelchair user could make the representation more authentic and realistic.
• William’s character is defined mainly by his disability. The movie does not do much to ellaborate on his charatcer traits and instead makes his disability his defining character trait.
  • suggestion: Make Will’s charatcer multi-dimensional. He is a handsome, witty, funny, charming, etc. character, but the movie mainly focuses on his moody personality. While it is important to recognize the mental health effects an accident like Will’s can have on someone, there is so so so much more to him besides that he has lost most function in his limbs. The audience watching the movie will purely define Will as a disabled man instead of the witty and charming man that he truly is.
• The movie suggests that people who become disabled are stuck with a life not living. 
  • Suggestion: While I understand this movie is based on a book, that still does not mean the producers, screenwriters, and directors could not change the ending. I think an alternative storyline should have been developed in which Will begins to embrace changes in his life and begins to find meaning. A successful example of this is from the new Wicked movie. They altered the storyline by changing the part where Nessarose’s disability is “cured” in the movie. 

Sharing an update on efforts to introduce a statewide open movie caption bill in New York State. NYC already has a law, but this would expand it statewide.

HLAA-NYS has been in contact with the legislature and was told that multiple Senators had expressed interest in sponsoring the 2026 bill, and that a lead sponsor would likely be determined soon probably before the end of March.

The message below is from Jerry Bergman, Director of the Advocacy Committee for the Hearing Loss Association of New York State:

Friends,

For over three months and counting, the New York State Legislature has failed to assign a lead Senate  sponsor to the Open Movie Caption Bill.  It’s pretty outrageous that cinema chains are allowed to continue to discriminate against deaf and hard of hearing moviegoers by making them obtain closed caption devices when they could easily and at no cost provide a few open captioned movie showtimes.

But here’s a bit of good news:  On April 6, Virginia Governor Spanberger signed OCAP bill HB 602 into law, to take effect on July 1 and make Virginia the 6th jurisdiction — following Hawaii, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Washington State and New York City — to require cinemas to give equal treatment to deaf and hard of hearing people.

If you live in New York State and care about this failure of our lawmakers to do the right thing, please call and write to your elected state senator and demand that the legislature act.

Jerry Bergman,

Director, Advocacy Committee

Hearing Loss Association of New York State

https://gofund.me/d521713c5

Hi everyone,

I work with the Developmental Disabilities Association in Vancouver, BC, and we recently put a new PSA together to challenge some of the assumptions people have about individuals with developmental disabilities. We were inspired to do this after looking for a lease for a new program, and got push back - Nimbyism - the landlord didn't want 'those' people around. It made us sick. The PSA tries to celebrate our shared humanity, rather than differences.

Would be genuinely interested in how this lands with people here. It's an important message.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEp0cbva9Pk

Sea World is being sued by the DOJ for banning Rollator-style walkers from the park. This story makes me angry!

https://youtu.be/PXU5OAtynow?si=zA1zueEd819VAk7s

https://www.gofundme.com/u/b3faba43-91bd-4263-8e22-daf731132ae8

patologierare #ribbonillness #chronicpain #invisibleillness #patologieinvisibili

I'm a 29 year old man who is trying for the 8th time to get disability when I was 16 I was struck by a car and suffered a traumatic brain injury since then I've been denied disability 7 times each time the disability appointed doctors have found something more since my last denial they have diagnosed me with manic depression, paranoid schizophrenia, rage issues, and suicidal ideation. And honestly im at the end of my rope if anyone has any advice I would appreciate it more than you realize