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The ADA at 36: Our Freedom Is Not Negotiable

By Jennifer Watson

The ADA at 36: Our Freedom Is Not Negotiable

Jul 27, 2026

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The ADA at 36: Our Freedom Is Not Negotiable

Thirty-six years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act became law because people with disabilities demanded equal rights. The ADA was not a gift from the government. It was won through decades of o...

Opposing the Politicization of Federal Grantmaking

Jul 15, 2026

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Opposing the Politicization of Federal Grantmaking

STIC is joining a vast chorus of voices nationwide in passionate opposition to the proposed rule change to the Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance, available for review here: https://www.regulat...

Community Integration: A Civil Right, Not a Policy Choice

Jun 25, 2026

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Community Integration: A Civil Right, Not a Policy Choice

For more than 25 years, the Supreme Court's decision in Olmstead v. L.C. has served as one of the most important civil rights protections for people with disabilities. The decision recognized a simple...

STIC responds to Governor's budget

Feb 4, 2026

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STIC responds to Governor's budget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 3, 2026 Contact: Jennifer Watson 607-724-2111 jenniferw@stic-cil.org Southern Tier Independence Center Calls on State Leaders to Increase Funding for Independent Living ...

A Deadly Mistake

Jan 7, 2026

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A Deadly Mistake

Governor Hochul announced an agreement with the Legislature to advance legislation legalizing medical aid in dying in New York, with amendments expected to be passed and signed this month. In her stat...

Slip Sliding Away...

Dec 22, 2025

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Slip Sliding Away...

Governor Hochul, irrepressible in her capacity to disappoint, has published an editorial announcing that she will sign an amended version of the MAID bill. There's still a possibility that the legisla...

New York Must Avoid the Slippery Slope!

Dec 10, 2025

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New York Must Avoid the Slippery Slope!

The Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) bill, A.136/S.138, now sits on Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk awaiting her signature. Reports suggest she may add a few “safeguards” before signing, but these are superfi...

Deafblind funding largely restored

Oct 22, 2025

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Deafblind funding largely restored

After furious public outcry, the Trump Administration reversed itself and restored the funding for the deafblind programs. However, it is too soon to declare unconditional victory; the funding is bein...

Trump Administration cuts funding for deafblind children

Sep 19, 2025

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Trump Administration cuts funding for deafblind children

Citing concerns about DEI, the U.S. Department of Education has halted funding for programs that support students with combined hearing and vision loss in eight states. “How low can you go?” one advoc...

Myth and Reality about CDPAP amidst the PPL takeover

Jul 31, 2025

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Myth and Reality about CDPAP amidst the PPL takeover

This is a reprint of a press release jointly issued by the New York Association of Independent Living and The Caring Majority. A City State story on the CDPAP transition today cited a PPL study on fra...

Advocacy preserves Accessibility

Jul 31, 2025

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Advocacy preserves Accessibility

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) tried to bulldoze through a rule change without the standard public comment period. It wanted to change a key disability rights law, specifically Section 504 of the...

Oppose forced institutionalization of homeless people

Jul 29, 2025

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Our blog

Oppose forced institutionalization of homeless people

In a previous blog post, https://www.stic-cil.org/blog/our-blog-1/protect-mental-health-rights-and-expand-voluntary-supports-in-new-york-4 , we discussed our opposition to New York Governor Hochul's i...

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