Are there State laws that protect people with disabilities?

Yes. Where the ADA sets the floor for disability rights and protections, states can go further to protect individual rights. Laws such as the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) and the New Jersey Law against Discrimination (NJLAD) were created to strengthen protections of people in those states. One example of how a state law can differ from the ADA is where under Title I employment the ADA covers private employers that employ 15 or more employees, the NJ Law against Discrimination covers private employers of any size in the state.