HLAA-New York State Association

05/29/2026

https://conta.cc/4ec8xfv

Email from HLAA Rochester Chapter Registration SOON! Don't miss out on the Early Bird Special!     Online Registration for the upcoming 2026 HLAA New York State Association State Conference Last day f

05/18/2026

Why should New Yorkers have to pay the price and have to wait until 2027 because their orphaned bill got reintroduced too late this year? There's still a tiny chance to make it happen this year but success depends on New Yorkers being willing to make calls! Put the deaf grapevine to work here! This is a partial screenshot from Ocmoviesnys reddit post. Share with anyone you know from New York state!

Edit: reddit not letting us copy and paste or share the r/opencaptions post. So in comments we have link for a post in another reddit sub

05/15/2026

Please share our public letter of support calling for NY State Lawmakers to pass critical legislation that mandates insurers to cover hearing aids for our children!

Contact your representatives to ask them to support this important legislation!
Need help finding your representative?
Link to look up NYS Assembly Member contact information:
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/search/
Link to look up NYS Senator contact information:
https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator

04/27/2026

Update from our Advocacy Committee:

Need to act FAST! Session ends June 4th!

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 as the legislature will adjourn in early June.

Everyone deserves equal access at the movies.

Take action here (HLAA link). It takes about a minute:
https://tinyurl.com/NewYorkOCNow

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. Ask your Assembly member to co-sponsor AM Seawright's companion bill currently being adjusted in the Codes Committee.

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

Requires a motion picture theater that offers more than ten motion picture showings per week to provide scheduled showings of motion pictures with open motion picture captioning such that at least one quarter of all showings of a motion picture with four or more showings during a one-week time perio...

04/20/2026

Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins announced that The Arc Westchester Foundation has been awarded a three-year grant totaling $816,627 from The Taft Foundation to launch the Partnership for Inclusive Internships (PII) Program for Westchester County Government. The grant will support The Arc Westchester Foundation, Westchester County Government, and AHRC New York City in expanding inclusive internship opportunities for individuals with disabilities, helping to build pathways to meaningful employment and long-term career success.

Jenkins said: “This investment represents a powerful step forward in our commitment to creating a more inclusive workforce in Westchester County. Everyone deserves the opportunity to contribute their talents and build a career. Through this partnership, we are opening doors and ensuring that individuals of all abilities have access to real, meaningful opportunities.”

Read more about the program: https://ow.ly/qzoC50YLhSe

04/19/2026

Feedback for FAA due by June 25. See below for survey link...

Do you find it challenging to travel with hearing loss or other disabilities? The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wants to know about your experience through its new survey on aircraft safety and evacuation procedures. This is a great opportunity to make your voice heard about the importance of captions and/or written safety information!

Please share widely—responses are anonymous. Open through June 25: https://ow.ly/szbY50YFbkB

04/19/2026

In the second hour of "Connections with Evan Dawson" on 3/30/26, our guests share personal stories of hearing loss and discuss what they would like the public to know about living with the condition.

04/19/2026

🌻 Spring is in the air and Walk Day excitement is building! Are you ready to go the distance for hearing health? 🚶🏽‍♀️‍➡️🚶🏻‍➡️

At a Walk4Hearing, you can connect with people of all ages and be empowered to live well with hearing loss. Whether you’re walking for yourself, a loved one or the broader hearing health community, every step raises awareness, reduces stigma and moves us closer to a more inclusive world.

Sign up today! ▶️ walk4hearing.org/find-a-walk

04/19/2026

Feedback for FAA due by June 25...see below, use survey link.

Do you find it challenging to travel with hearing loss or other disabilities? The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wants to know about your experience through its new survey on aircraft safety and evacuation procedures. This is a great opportunity to make your voice heard about the importance of captions and/or written safety information!

Please share widely—responses are anonymous. Open through June 25: https://ow.ly/szbY50YFbkB

06/25/2024

Attention to all Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind individuals residing in New York State (NYS),

We invite you to participate in the "Count Me in" sign-up initiative to secure funding from the New York government to support essential services for the Deaf and DeafBlind community. Kindly spread the word to fellow deaf individuals in NYS.

To sign up, please click on the following link: www.uhands.org

We appreciate your support.