OpposeH.R.620-TheADAEducationandReformActof2017:Don’tRollBackOurRights!
Background
TheAmericanswithDisabilitiesAct(ADA)wassignedintolawonJuly26,in1990asthemostcomprehensivedisability
rightslegislationeverpassed.Itpreventsdiscriminationinemployment,publicservices,publicaccommodations,
telecommunicationsandotherservicesandprovidesamodelframeworkregardingtherelationshipbetweenthe
disabilitycommunityandthebusinesscommunity.Unfortunately,after27years,therearestillseveralorganizations,
businesses,andcompanieswhichhavestillnotcomplied.In2008,CongresspassedtheADAAmendmentsActwhich
makesimportantchangestothedefinitionoftheterm"disability"byrejectingthedecisionsinseveralSupremeCourt
decisionsandportionsoftheEqualEmploymentOpportunityCommission'sADAregulations.Theeffectofthese
changesistomakeiteasierforanindividualseekingprotectionundertheADAtoestablishthatheorshehasadisability
withinthemeaningoftheADA.
InFebruary2017,RepresentativeTedPoe(R-TX-2)introducedH.R.620theADAEducationandReformActof2017
whichlimitstheabilityofpeoplewithdisabilitiestoenforcetheirrightsundertheADAtoaccessplacesofpublic
accommodationinthesamemannerasallothercitizens.Thisbillwouldrequireindividualswithdisabilitiestosenda
letterofnotificationtothebusinessthatitisoutofcompliancewiththelaw,allow60daysforthemtoacknowledgethe
barrierandhasanother120daystofixtheaccessproblem.Noothercivilrightsgroupisforcedtowait180daysto
enforcetheircivilrights.Businessescouldemploya“waitandsee”approach,continuingtoviolatethelaw.
H.R.620wouldcreatesignificantobstaclesforpeoplewithdisabilitiestoenforcetheirrightsunderTitleIIIofthe
ADA.TitleIII(publicaccommodations)wasintendedtobalancetheinterestsofsmallbusinessesalongwiththe
accessibilityconcernsofpeoplewithdisabilities.TitleIIIdoesnotrequireanyactionwithrespecttoexistingbuildings
thatwouldcauseanundueburdenonbusinessesorthatisnotreadilyachievable.TheapproachoftheADAwasnotto
exemptsmallbusinessesfromtherequirementsofthebill,butrathertotailortherequirementsoftheActtoconsider
theneedsandresourcesofsmallbusiness.
Inseveralstatesacrossthecountry,non-compliantbusinessownersarebeingsuedbyattorneysforbeinginviolationof
theADA.Someattorneysare“predatory”innatureastheygotobusinesses,mostlyfirst-generationbusinessowners,
andaskforasettlement.
ThisbillisanattackontheADA:
• HR620wouldlimittheabilityofpeoplewithdisabilitiestoenforcetheirrightsundertheADAtoaccessplaces
ofpublicaccommodationinthesamemannerasallothercitizens.
• ThisbillwouldamendtheADAtorequiretheindividualwithadisabilitytosendaletterofnotificationtothe
businessthatwasoutofcompliancewiththelawgivingthebusinessagraceperiodof180daysintotal
beforesomeonecanfilesuit.
• Thisbillistryingtoprotectbusinessesattheexpenseofpeoplewithdisabilitiesandthisisnottheanswer.
RequesttoPolicymakers:
OpposeH.R.620theEducationandReformActof2017andopposeanylegislationthatwouldamendtheAmericans
withDisabilitiesAct.Thisbillisnottheanswersmallbusinessesarelookingfortoaddresslawsuitsagainsttheir
establishments.UnitedSpinalAssociationwantstoensurethatallstakeholderscontinuetoadvocatetoenforcetheADA
andexpandaccesstoADAtechnicalassistancethroughtheADANationalNetwork.