Sen. Mike Barrett Named 'Legislator of the Year' for the Blind

Photo via Facebook/Sen. Mike Barrett

State Senator Mike Barrett, D-Lexington, was named Legislator of the Year at a recent State House gathering for his commitment to people who are blind or visually impaired.

Barrett recently served as Senate Chair of the Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

“Senator Barrett has made it a priority to reach out to all groups of people with disabilities, including those with blindness and deafblindness,” said Kim Charlson, director of the Perkins Library, in a press release. “He’s a true advocate and a real friend to people with disabilities.”

“Senator Barrett’s long and consistent advocacy for individuals of all ages who are blind and visually-impaired has been extremely instrumental in ensuring the resources are in place so that much needed services can be rendered,” said Joseph F. Abely, president of The Carroll Center for the Blind, in the release.

Barrett urged support for legislation he has filed that would eliminate health disparities along the lines of disability, race and ethnicity. He said that people with disabilities are more than twice as likely to report that costs are a barrier to getting health care.

“Many of us, as we age, will develop disabilities of our own,” Barrett said in a release. “The question becomes, what are we going to do for the growing number of us with vision impairments or other disabilities?”