#50for504
Protect Section 504!
A court case, Texas v. Becerra, is threatening the rights of disabled people across the country. In this case, 17 states are suing the federal government to try and eliminate Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.Section 504 is a cornerstone of disability justice. It says that any program or organization receiving federal funding cannot discriminate against people with disabilities. That includes schools, hospitals, state and local governments, housing programs, and more.To discriminate means to treat someone unfairly because of who they are. Section 504 protects disabled people from being denied access, opportunity, or support simply because of their disability.This law has been in place for over 50 years. Losing it would turn back decades of progress. We know how critical access to healthcare, education, and public services is for our communities. We should be defending our rights, NOT supporting a lawsuit that could take them away.
Education About Section 504
Seventeen states have sued the United States government in an attempt to eliminate Section 504 entirely. These states say they disagree with parts of the Biden administration’s updated 504 rules. But instead of challenging only the parts they oppose, the lawsuit asks the court to strike down all of the updated rules and Section 504 itself.The lawsuit claims that Section 504 is unconstitutional and argues that no one should be required to follow any part of it. If the court agrees, it would be a devastating blow to the rights of disabled people across the country
Action Items
What Will Happen Next?
Right now, the lawsuit is on hold. The next update is April 21st. After that deadline, we’ll have a better idea of how the case will move forward.In the meantime, disability groups may submit amicus briefs, which are documents that let people or organizations share their perspective with the court. Even though they’re not directly involved in the lawsuit, they can explain why they care about the outcome and what they think the court should do.Once all the legal papers are in, the court will review everything and make a decision about the case.