ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - State officials want to change a program for the disabled that has been used by Long Island Railroad retirees to play free at state golf courses.
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation says Wednesday that eliminating two of the eight categories of people eligible for the program called Access Pass would save about $1 million annually and reduce the potential for abuse.
The 33-year-old program gives New Yorkers with certain disabilities free or reduced admission to the park system.
A review of the program began after a 2008 report in The New York Times that a disproportionate number of LIRR retirees qualified for federal disability benefits, making them eligible for free rounds of golf. Under the changes, they and people in the "semi-ambulatory" category would no longer automatically get passes.
