June 5, 2026 | 5:00 am | Eric Gross
Senator Pete Harckham
ALBANY – Putnam-Westchester State Senator Pete Harckham met with dozens of advocates and support professionals during the past year who deal with the handicapped on a daily basis who highlighted the challenges related to dignity, accessibility, and inclusion faced by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities when traveling or attending public events and gatherings.
Harckham drafted the Traveling with Dignity Act, a bill that requires the installation of height-adjustable adult changing tables in enclosed restroom facilities at a range of public locations, including roadside rest areas, museums, public libraries, public buildings, and amusement attractions. It will serve people born with disabilities, senior citizens, and veterans with traumatic injuries.
Both the Senate and Assembly have approved the legislation, and when signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul, New York would join a growing number of states that have enacted similar legislation, including Arizona, California, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
On Thursday, Harckham said: “It is time for New York to require adult changing areas and disability-friendly restroom facilities so that people of all abilities can participate in the same activities, day trips, and excursions available to everyone else. This common-sense legislation will provide safer, more sanitary spaces for caregivers and family members assisting adults who need support. It will benefit residents and visitors alike while advancing the respect, dignity, and inclusion that all New Yorkers deserve. I’m proud to have worked with my colleagues and the many disability advocates to pass this bill, and I look forward to seeing it signed into law.”
Adult-sized changing tables and hoists installed in family restrooms can accommodate individuals weighing more than 400 pounds, allowing people with disabilities and their families to travel more freely and confidently. Harckham noted that once public facilities begin providing these accommodations, private businesses and venues are likely to follow suit.
The New York Chapter of the Changing Spaces Campaign played a critical role in helping shape the legislation.
Jacqueline and Anthony Scali, leaders of the New York Chapter of Changing Spaces Campaign, said: “The passage of the Traveling with Dignity Act brings New York State one step closer to becoming a truly accessible and inclusive place for all. The installation of height-adjustable changing tables in public venues provides people with disabilities and their families with greater freedom, dignity, and independence than they have previously been afforded.”
Karl Rohde, director of the Putnam County Veterans Service Agency, added: “This legislation will benefit veterans who need specific accommodations to travel because of service-related injuries. Here in the Hudson Valley, we are sometimes unable to bring veterans to events because there are not enough changing stations along the way.”