State lawmakers pledged Friday to pass laws during the few remaining days of the legislative session to deter abuse at facilities for the developmentally disabled. An investigation by The New York Times into the issue inspired the Assembly to hold a hearing Friday where parents of victims and advocates for the disabled testified.

Michael Carey’s 13-year-old autistic son was killed in 2007 by a state employee who sat on the child to try to control him. Carey, now a vocal activist, told lawmakers now was the time to pass bills that would do several things, including mandating that all incidents of abuse be reported to law enforcement and requiring a cap on the amount of overtime caretakers are allowed to work.

“The man that killed my son Jonathan worked 197 and a half hours in the two weeks prior to killing my son,” Carey told lawmakers.

One man who testified on behalf of non-profits that run facilities for the disabled said overtime is a problem because of the high turnover rate of employees who are largely underpaid.

Carey also wants bills passed that would require unannounced inspections at facilities, drug testing of employees and the use of surveillance cameras inside facilities as well as the vehicles used to transport the disabled. 

Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol, who represents northern Brooklyn, apologized to Carey for what happened to his son and said he was not sure whether all of his bill recommendations would be passed this session.  “I don’t know if we’re going to implement all of it,” Lentol said. “But we have to do something and you’re right, the time for change is now. “