504 Democratic Club: Questionnaires (Candidate for State Assembly Alexander B. 'Pete' Grannis' response)

Candidate Name: Alexander B. 'Pete' Grannis

Campaign Name: Committee to Re-elect Pete Grannis

Campaign Address: 501 East 87th Street, New York, N.Y. 10128

Phone: 917-579-6267

Email: pgrannis@aol.com

Assembly District: 65

Is your campaign headquarters accessible to persons with disabilities? If you are an incumbent, is your district office accessible to persons with disabilities? If you are in private practice, is your office accessible to persons with disabilities? If not, what have you done to ensure access?

Our district office has a portable ramp and is fully accessible to persons with disabilities.
Are you willing to hire and use flex-time and job-sharing if necessary?

Although I only employ one full-time campaign aide, I would welcome volunteer help and go out of my way to assist any person who wishes to campaign with me.
Seventy (70%) percent of people with disabilities of working age are unemployed at any given time, no matter how well or poorly the economy is doing. How will you use your office to advance employment opportunities for people with disabilities?

I have supported the Medicaid buy-in program to eliminate the fear of losing Medicaid benefits for those who back to work.
What will you do to reverse the negative impact of recent decisions in Federal Courts which are undercutting the powers of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 to protect the civil rights of people with disabilities in New York State? How would you change the laws of New York State to protect the rights of its citizens with disabilities?

I am a sponsor of A6328 and A7294 to ensure protections against discrimination on the basis of disability are guaranteed under NYS Human Rights law.
Currently, over 130,000 people reside in nursing homes and other care facilities in New York State. In 1999, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) found in L.C. v Olmstead that individuals with disabilities have a right to live in the most integrated setting. What will you do to encourage Olmstead implementation in New York?

I support A7867 to help ensure accessible housing is marketed to the disabled. I will continue to push the most Integrated Setting Coordinating Council to issue its delayed report on the subject that would be the beginning of the state's Olmstead plan.
We are in the midst of a housing crisis. Accessible, affordable housing is in short supply. People with disabilities are being priced out of the market. What would you do to develop a housing policy that would lead to the development and maintenance of accessible, affordable and integrated housing stock?

I am working with advocates to create a larger housing fund and will support A 7868 which directs DHCR to maintain a housing registry for people with disabilities.
Timothy's Law was designed to end health insurance discrimination by enacting parity in coverage for people with biologically-based psychiatric disabilities. To address cost concerns raised by small businesses, the agreement directs the state Superintendent of Insurance to develop a methodology that would hold businesses with 50 or fewer employees harmless from any increase in insurance premiums that result from this measure. It also requires the state Insurance Department and the Office of Mental Health to conduct a two year study to determine the effectiveness and impact of mental health parity legislation in New York and other states. What would you do to help small business?

The Timothy's Law agreement includes the "hold harmless" provision for small businesses immediately.
Under Kendra's Law, a state-funded Medicaid grants program has been established to provide medications for eligible individuals with a psychiatric disability upon release or discharge from institutions. This will help eliminate some of the problems associated with the Medicaid coverage gap. Do you support Medicaid Presumptive Eligibility legislation which would eliminate the standard 45 days without coverage, and thus without access to treatment?

Yes.
By passing the Help America Vote Act of 2002 the U.S. Congress has tried to ensure that people with disabilities will, by 2006, be able to cast an independent, private ballot for the first time. What will you do to ensure successful implementation HAVA?

I continue to support legislation passed by the Assembly to ensure all polling places are accessible and legislation to provide that ballots for all elections shall be available in Braille.
Disabled children in grades K-12 are entitled to receive a "free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment," but there have been major problems. Most often, schools are not physically accessible and not accommodating their students' needs. What do you propose to correct this problem?

I agree that schools should be accessible and children are entitled to learn in the least restrictive environment. I will work with the Assembly majority to accomplish this goal.
Despite Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, students with disabilities face problems when pursuing higher education. These statutes do not specify how students should request accommodations or assistance in asserting their rights under the law. Will you support a fully funded office of disability services on each SUNY and CUNY campus to assist students with disabilities in securing accommodations?

I support A 8292 which establishes a funding program for the improvement of disability services at higher institutions.
What is your position on expanding DRIE (Disabled Rent Increase Exemption) to be the same as SCRIE (Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption) to low-income, eligible persons with disabilities under the age of 62 on the same basis and income level (currently the SCRIE's income cap is $25,000, while DRIE's is $17,000)?

As one of the lead sponsors of the current DRIE law, I am carrying the legislation, A 8972-A, to raise the income cap for DRIE program to make it equitable to the SCRIE program.
Do you support the extension of Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) to low-income persons with disabilities regardless of age? What would you do to ensure this?

Yes, I am a sponsor of this legislation.
What would you do to expand accessible transportation options for people with disabilities in NYS?

I support legislation, A 11560, to provide a tax credit for purchasing accessibles vehicles. I will continue to work to improve access, particularly as it relates to taxis.

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