Meeting Public Comments

Paula Connolly kiloa [Polk]]

Good Morning! I am urging each of you to vote on HF33. I am the mother of a young adult with health and significant disabilities who is a wheelchair user. I also have lived experience being part of my parent's caregiver team, both wheelchair users, before their passing last year. The accessible standard requirements of most public restrooms do not meet the needs of my son. He has long outgrown the changing tables designed for babies and toddlers. Even our privacy choices are limited as well as inadequate. If he requires his brief to be changed, I can: a)use the Women's Restroom for a 30yearold male and change him on the floor; b) they have a family restroom so we can use this and change him on the floor. These choices become barriers to families such as mine to even be out in the community or to see family. The pandemic has demonstrated to everyone limited ability to see family and other people you love impacts your wellbeing. My family has been struggling with this level of impact and lack of accessibility for years. The year my daughterinlaw graduated from Havard, we wanted to celebrate this event as a family. None of us would have been able to fully enjoy or celebrate this family event if he was not there. Flying was not a good option for other health reasons. So, we traveled by car to Boston, changing my son behind RestStop Buildings in the grass, on a tarp layered with blankets, his Dad standing "watch" to ensure privacy. Twice we encountered rain and we struggled to be quick under a golf size umbrella. HF33 would lay the foundation for a change that has profound meaning, not only for my family but for others. The accessibility issue is across the age span. The requirements for adult size, height adjustable changing tables are an important factor. These requirements ensure flexibility. Although this is not addressed in HF33, I urge you to consider adding funding to this legislation. The purpose of the funding would be to raise public awareness and serve as a resource regarding the requirements. As a suggestion, this type of funding could go to the Office of Disability/Injury at IDPH. The work they do would align in intent and purpose. Thank you for the opportunity to share my story.