Introduction
In late 2024, seventeen states sued the United States Government to dismantle Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act in the case of Texas V. Becerra.
What’s Section 504?
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a Civil Rights law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination. This law also has rules in place that requires schools, hospitals, doctor’s offices, and other businesses that receives funding from the United States Government to include people with disabilities.
Why’s Section 504 Very Important?
The short answer is that it covers all businesses that receives funding from the United States Government, especially educational and healthcare institutions. Some examples of the rules in Section 504 include:
- Education: Schools must include all students with disabilities to help them learn and grow. Also, schools must include a sign-language interpreter for people who are deaf/Hard of hearing and all videos must include captions.
- Healthcare: A doctor must give clear/transparent information to people with disabilities, including people with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Also, doctors and hospitals cannot deny medical care to someone just because they have a disability.
- Websites: Even websites that’s owned and operated by schools and hospitals must work for people who use screen-reading software such as blind and/or low vision individuals.
What’s Texas V. Becerra?
Texas V. Becerra is a court case based out of Texas. The seventeen states that’s suing the United States Government is asking for the court to completely get rid of Section 504. In the lawsuit, the states argues that Section 504 goes against the United States Constitution.
The Consequences
If the seventeen states gets their way with this case, it’ll have devastating consequences for people with disabilities, such as students. This will even remove protections for people with disabilities who are workers from workplace discrimination. They’ll face greater barriers to Independent Living, public education, and employment.
The Seventeen States That Are Currently In This Case
The following states that’s currently suing the United States Government to dismantle of Section 504 are:
- Alaska
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Utah
- And West Virginia
Actions That You Can Take Right Now
Here’s what you can do to stop the attack of Section 504:
- Sign This Petition On Change.Org To Demand The Seventeen States To Withdraw their Lawsuit
- If you live in one of the seventeen mentioned states above like me, I encourage you to call your Attorney General’s Office to demand them to drop out of the case. For Georgia’s Attorney General, you can call their office at (404) 458-3600.