Published: February 2018

Congress to gut key provision of Americans with Disabilities Act

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) is a landmark piece of bipartisan legislation that affirms and protects the civil rights of disabled people. A new bill, The ADA Education and Reform Act (H.R. 620), introduced by Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), would make it harder for people with disabilities to hold businesses accountable for inaccessibility. The proposed legislation was recently adopted in the House Judiciary Committee and specifically takes on a section of the ADA that gives disabled people the right to sue public businesses (including restaurants, hotels, and movie theaters) that don’t comply with the ADA’s accessibility requirements.

The ADA Education and Reform Act (H.R. 620) makes it harder for disabled persons to sue for discrimination, in an effort to prevent opportunistic attorneys from taking advantage of business owners. However, Consumer Action and advocates urged members of Congress to oppose the legislation, as it will weaken incentives for businesses to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), which mandates equal access to public accommodations. The proposed bill removes a business’s incentive to proactively ensure that it is accessible to people with disabilities.

Lead Organization

Center for Justice & Democracy

Other Organizations

Alliance for Justice | Center for Justice & Democracy | Center for Medicare Advocacy | Consumer Action | Earthjustice | Impact Fund | National Association of Consumer Advocates | National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low income clients) | National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care | National Consumers League | Progressive Congress Action Fund | Protect All Children's Environment | Public Citizen | Texas Watch | The Arc of the United States

More Information

Click here to read the coalition letter in full.

For more information, please visit the Center for Justice & Democracy.

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