The RespectAbility Report Posts

Carson City, Nevada, Nov. 7—Democrat Steve Sisolak was elected as Nevada’s next governor yesterday in the midterm elections, defeating Republican challenger Adam Laxalt.

While campaigning, Sisolak completed a disability issues questionnaire for Senate and gubernatorial candidates put out by RespectAbility, a nonpartisan, nonprofit national organization working to end stigmas and advance opportunities for people with disabilities. The questionnaire included 10 questions on topics important to people with disabilities and those close to them. Adam Laxalt, the Republican candidate, did not respond to requests to complete the questionnaire.

In response to the questionnaire, Sisolak emphasized his support for programs that reduce stigma against people with disabilities and prepare them for the workforce.

“I will work with disability advocacy organizations like RespectAbility to maximize exposure to this issue in the press and bring real solutions into the office space for our disabled citizenry,” he said in his response.

Sisolak also highlighted the importance of supporting people with disabilities as they move out of school and into work spaces.

“Apprenticeships expose people with disabilities to the transition from school to work and better prepare them for the challenges that come with professional experience,” he said. “Among the best programs is Project SEARCH, which is a one-year fully integrated workplace program for people with disabilities. The goal is to secure competitive employment, and the 70 percent success rate speaks for itself.”

Sisolak said he supports more services for students with disabilities who choose to go to college, as well. “We must also improve post-secondary education opportunities by integrating career services and disability services into a hybrid program for people with disabilities on college campuses.”

There are 198,826 working-age people with disabilities living in Nevada, and 83,453 people have jobs. With an unemployment rate for people with disabilities of 58 percent, Nevada ranks 13th on this list of the best states for employment for people with disabilities (42 percent).

View Sisolak’s full response to the questionnaire below:

 

Honolulu, Hawaii, Nov. 7 – Democrat David Ige has won a second term as Hawaii’s Governor after beating Andria Tupola in this year’s election.

Ige responded earlier during the campaign season to a disability issues questionnaire for Senate and gubernatorial candidates put out by RespectAbility, a nonpartisan, nonprofit national organization working to end stigmas and advance opportunities for people with disabilities. Andria Tupola, Ige’s opponent, also responded to the questionnaire. It can be found at The RespectAbility Report.

In his responses, Ige highlighted his efforts as governor to provide Hawaii residents with disabilities with better employment opportunities and inclusion in the workplace. “We see employment of people with disabilities as a civil rights issue, and closing the employment gap is a key strategy that will benefit the entire community. Members of my administration are working to establish Hawaii as an Employment First state, and I am steadfastly committed to making this happen.”

More than 156,000 people with disabilities live in Hawaii. This number includes 66,031 who are working age (18 to 64). Of that population, an estimated 39.9 percent are employed, leaving 60.1 percent out of work. In comparison, 78.6 percent of working-age Hawaiians without disabilities are employed. Hawaii ranks 18th in terms of employment rate for people with disabilities in the U.S.

Ige also touched on education within his responses specifically on aiding high school students with disabilities on their way to employment or secondary education.  “A core initiative is the Jobs Now Partnership (JNP) facilitated by the University of Hawaii Center on Disabilities Studies (CDS), which is working with local high schools to support students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their pathway to employment. This pilot demonstration is a partnership with five agencies and will assist high school sophomores to seniors develop and achieve individual employment outcomes.”

Ige also issued a proclamation for Hawaii naming October 2018 as Disability Employment Awareness Month. “People with disabilities are productive and loyal, and deserve the same opportunity to earn an income and achieve independence like anyone else,” writes Gov. Ige in the proclamation. “The State of Hawai’i has a vested interest in increasing the inclusion of people living with a disability by providing access, meaningful services, and improved outcomes for all citizens at the state, county, local, and private sector levels.”

According to a recent survey, 74 percent of likely voters have a disability themselves or have a family member or a close friend with disabilities. The upcoming elections and their results will have an impact on people with disabilities, so it is important to become familiar with the candidates’ thoughts on certain issues.

“Candidates for office ignore the disability community at their peril,” said former U.S. Representative and Dallas Mayor Steve Bartlett. Bartlett, who was a primary author of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, is the chairman of RespectAbility.”

Ige’s responses to the questionnaire can be found below.

Topeka, Kansas, Nov. 6 – In this year’s gubernatorial election, Democratic candidate Senate Minority Whip Laura Kelly, a member of the Kansas State Senate for the 18th district, clinched the victory for the Kansas Governor seat. She defeated Republican candidate Kris Kobach, who is Kansas’ Secretary of State.

Earlier this campaign season, Kelly completed a disability issues questionnaire for Senate and gubernatorial candidates put out by RespectAbility, a nonpartisan, nonprofit national organization working to end stigmas and advance opportunities for people with disabilities. The questionnaire included 10 questions on topics important to people with disabilities and those close to them. Despite repeated requests to his campaign, Kobach did not respond to the questionnaire.

Kelly said one of her proudest accomplishments in the legislature was achieving support for early childhood education programs. When it comes to seeing students with disabilities succeed in school and prepare for competitive employment, Kelly explained, “We know the significant impact early investment can have on kids going into kindergarten and the difference it can make in the years to come.”

“When I am governor,” Kelly continued, “Kansas will invest more in programs like this that benefit our children and put them on the past to success so they can go on to high school, higher education and eventually the workforce.”

With 44.7 percent of Kansas’ 188,671 working-age people with disabilities employed, the Sunflower State ranks 15th in terms of employment rate for people with disabilities in the U.S. But this still leaves 55.3 percent of Kansas’ working-age residents with disabilities out of work. In comparison, 19.2 percent of Kansans without disabilities are not working.

View Kelly’s response to the questionnaire below:

Springfield, Illinois, Nov. 6 – Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker is projected to take the governorship in Illinois defeating Republican incumbent Bruce Rauner.

Pritzker responded to a disability issues questionnaire for Senate and gubernatorial candidates put out by RespectAbility, a nonpartisan, nonprofit national disability organization working to end stigmas and advance opportunities for people with disabilities. The questionnaire to which Pritzker responded gauges how candidates plan to tackle disability issues. This way, voters with concerns about disability policy know which candidates have the positions that they agree with the most. Pritzker’s opponent, Rauner, did not respond to the questionnaire despite repeated requests to the campaign from RespectAbility.

While Pritzker did not respond to each of the 10 listed questions but rather issued a statement highlighting overall policy goals in response.

“People with disabilities deserve real options that provide them with the supports they need to live independent, meaningful lives that are integrated and included in the community,” responded Pritzker. “We can do this by improving and increasing access to a range of reliable supports designed to meet the individualized needs of people with disabilities, and by expanding access to economic opportunity.”

Economic opportunity for the disability community is certainly a pressing issue in Illinois. Only 35.7 percent of working-age Illinoisans, between the ages of 18 and 64, with disabilities are employed. This means that 64.3 percent, or more than 400,000 working-age adults, remain without jobs. In comparison, 77.7 percent of working-age Illinoisans without disabilities are employed.

To help address such issues, Pritzker wants to begin working toward “principles for an inclusive administration.” In summary, the goals of Pritzker are to ensure that people with disabilities live independent lives, free of poverty and judgment, with access to the services that they need.

You can read Pritzker’s full statement below.

Denver, Colorado, Nov. 6 – Colorado Rep. and Democrat Jared Polis has secured a victory over Republican Walker Stapleton in the 2018 Colorado Gubernatorial race. This makes Polis the first openly gay governor to hold office in United States history.

Polis responded earlier during the campaign season to a disability issues questionnaire for Senate and gubernatorial candidates put out by RespectAbility, a nonpartisan, nonprofit national organization working to end stigmas and advance opportunities for people with disabilities. Despite repeated attempts, RespectAbility was unable to obtain a response from Walker Stapleton, Polis’ opponent.

In his responses, Polis highlighted his efforts as a U.S. Representative to serve the disability community and encourage them to seek opportunities, sharing some of the major legislation he has been a part of.

“I’ve been a cosponsor on the Disability Integrations Act of 2017 (H.R. 2427, 115th Congress), the Workplace Choice and Flexibility for Individuals with Disabilities Act (H.R. 5680, 115th Congress), and another bill to amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990 to provide eligibility under the assistive technology program for farmers with disabilities to veterans with disabilities and their families (H.R. 5448, 115th Congress).”  This legislation helps create opportunities and foster innovation for technology to assist persons with disabilities seeking employment.

Colorado has more than 308,342 people with disabilities, including 295,000 who are working age (18 to 64). Of that population, an estimated 42.7 percent are employed, leaving 53 percent out of work. In comparison, 79.7 percent of working-age Coloradoans without disabilities are employed. Colorado ranks 12th in terms of employment rate for people with disabilities in the U.S.

Polis also discussed his efforts to improve education for special needs students in Colorado while serving on Colorado’s state Board of Education. “When I was on the State Board of Education, I saw first-hand the issues that Colorado schools were facing. That’s why I got to work and started two public schools for students who needed unique support to succeed. I started the New America school for young immigrants, so they could learn English while still working through the curriculum for their grade level.” This is a step forward for the more than 98,000 students with disabilities in Colorado, of which only 57.2 percent may graduate high school in the spring.

Polis’ responses to the questionnaire can be found below.