=?iso-8859-1?Q?system,=20so=20they=20want=20to=20make=20the=20ADA=20harder=20to=20enforce?= ��� Quartz

[Sami Osborne]

Hi=20Judy,

Yes,=20you=20are=20correct=20that=20political=20discussions=20in=20general=
=20are=20
not=20allowed=20on=20this=20list.=20=20However,=20I=20think=20this=20is=20r=
eally=20a=20
serious=20matter=20for=20us=20as=20people=20with=20disabilities.=20=20In=20=
the=20past=20
there=20have=20been=20many=20political=20threads=20on=20here=20specfically=
=20geared=20
towards=20people=20with=20disabilities,=20for=20example=20asking=20us=20to=
=20sign=20a=20
petition=20for=20our=20Senators=20and=20Representatives=20to=20see=20that=20=
we=20are=20
people=20as=20well.

As=20for=20your=20point=20about=20not=20all=20news=20sources=20being=20trus=
ted.=20=20I=20
have=20no=20idea=20what=20your=20political=20views=20are,=20nor=20do=20I=20=
care.=20=20
However,=20I=20would=20bear=20in=20mind=20that=20this=20post=20has=20been=20=
very=20
eloquently=20written=20by=20the=20original=20poster.=20=20If=20someone=20is=
=20writing=20
something=20with=20a=20relatively=20strong=20case=20to=20support=20their=20=

argument,=20with=20many=20details,=20then=20they=20probably=20got=20their=20=

information=20from=20a=20reliable=20source.=20=20If=20they=20have=20a=20rat=
her=20weak=20
argument,=20though,=20they=20you're=20right,=20we=20should=20probably=20que=
stion=20
the=20sources=20of=20where=20they=20got=20their=20information.=20=20So,=20I=
=20would=20
look=20at=20how=20strong/weak=20the=20argument=20is=20before=20immediately=
=20
concluding=20that=20the=20news=20source=20may=20not=20be=20trusted.

Thanks=20and=20have=20a=20nice=20day,

Sami

=20-----=20Original=20Message=20-----
From:=20Judy=20Jones=20via=20NABS-L=20<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
To:=20"'National=20Association=20of=20Blind=20Students=20mailing=20list'"=20=

<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date=20sent:=20Wed,=207=20Jun=202017=2014:15:10=20-0600
Subject:=20Re:=20[nabs-l]=20Fwd:=20[acb-chat]=20Congressional=20Republicans=
=20
think=20disabled=20Americans=20are=20gaming=20the=20system,=20so=20they=20w=
ant=20to=20
make=20the=20ADA=20harder=20to=20enforce=20=E2=80=94=20Quartz

Wow,=20I=20don't=20know=20where=20thisis=20coming=20from,=20but=20keep=20in=
mind=20that=20
not=20all=20news=20sources=20are=20to=20be=20trusted.=20=20Also=20a=20quest=
ion,=20are=20
political=20posts=20allowed=20on=20this=20particular=20list?

Judy

-----Original=20Message-----
From:=20NABS-L=20[mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org]=20On=20Behalf=20Of=20
Kendra=20Schaber=20via=20NABS-L
Sent:=20Wednesday,=20June=207,=202017=201:58=20PM
To:=20National=20Association=20of=20Blind=20Students=20mailing=20list
Cc:=20Kendra=20Schaber
Subject:=20[nabs-l]=20Fwd:=20[acb-chat]=20Congressional=20Republicans=20thi=
nk=20
disabled=20Americans=20are=20gaming=20the=20system,=20so=20they=20want=20to=
=20make=20
the=20ADA=20harder=20to=20enforce=20=E2=80=94=20Quartz




Blessed=20be!!!
Kendra=20Schaber
National=20Federation=20of=20the=20Blind
"When=20the=20student=20is=20ready,=20the=20teacher=20will=20appear"=20Auth=
or=20
Unknown

=20Sent=20From=20My=20GMail=20EMail=20account=20On=20My=20IPhone=20SE.=20=20=
Typed=20to=20you=20
with=20my=20Keys=20To=20Go=20blue=20tooth=20Keyboard,=20the=20only=20keyboa=
rd=20I=20know=20
to=20work=20with=20an=20IPhone=20SE.

Begin=20forwarded=20message:

=20From:=20"Demaya,=20Diego=20via=20acb-chat"=20<acb-chat at acblists.org
=20Date:=20June=207,=202017=20at=2012:05:25=20PDT
=20To:=20"General=20discussion=20list=20for=20ACB=20members=20and=20friends=
=20where=20a=20
wide=20range=20of=20topics=20from=20blindness=20to=20politics,=20issues=20o=
f=20the=20
day=20or=20whatever=20comes=20to=20mind=20are=20welcome.=20=20This=20is=20a=
=20free=20form=20
discussion=20list."=20<acb-chat at acblists.org>,=20"acbt at groups.io"=20
<acbt at groups.io>,=20"hcb-l at yahoogroups.com"=20
<hcb-l at yahoogroups.com>,=20Karen=20Spraggs=20<kayspray at sbcglobal.net>,=20
"sciotoville at att.net"=20<sciotoville at att.net
=20Cc:=20"Demaya,=20Diego"=20<Diego.Demaya at memorialhermann.org
=20Subject:=20[acb-chat]=20Congressional=20Republicans=20think=20disabled=20=

Americans=20are=20gaming=20the=20system,=20so=20they=20want=20to=20make=20t=
he=20ADA=20
harder=20to=20enforce=20=E2=80=94=20Quartz
=20Reply-To:=20"General=20discussion=20list=20for=20ACB=20members=20and=20f=
riends=20
where=20a=20wide=20range=20of=20topics=20from=20blindness=20to=20politics,=
=20issues=20
of=20the=20day=20or=20whatever=20comes=20to=20mind=20are=20welcome.=20=20Th=
is=20is=20a=20free=20
form=20discussion=20list."=20<acb-chat at acblists.org

=20Republicans=20think=20disabled=20Americans=20are=20gaming=20the=20system=
,=20so=20
they=20want=20to=20make=20the=20ADA=20harder=20to=20enforce
=20Jake=20Flanagin
=20The=20Judiciary=20Committee=20of=20the=20United=20States=20House=20of=20=

Representatives=20is=20considering=20a=20major=20reform=20of=20theAmerican=
=20With=20
Disabilities=20Act=20(ADA)=20of=201990=E2=80=94a=20federal=20law=20which=20=
prohibits=20
discrimination=20against=20individuals=20with=20disabilities=20in=20the=20
public=20sphere=20(at=20work,=20in=20schools,=20riding=20public=20transit,=
=20and=20in=20
all=20spaces=20open=20to=20the=20general=20public,=20including=20privately-=
owned=20
businesses).=20=20For=20example,=20under=20the=20ADA,=20businesses=20open=20=
to=20the=20
public,=20such=20as=20restaurants=20or=20pharmacies,=20need=20to=20be=20whe=
elchair=20
accessible.

=20The=20ADA=20Education=20and=20Reform=20Act=20of=202017=20(HR=20620)=20se=
ems=20like=20a=20
rather=20innocuous=20bill=20at=20first=20glance=E2=80=94it=20compels=20the=
=20Department=20
of=20Justice=20to=20formulate=20a=20program=20that=20educates=20state=20and=
=20local=20
officials=20and=20business=20owners=20on=20=E2=80=9Cstrategies=20for=20prom=
oting=20
access=20to=20public=20accommodations=20for=20persons=20with=20a=20disabili=
ty.=E2=80=9D=20
A=20prime=20example=20of=20fatty,=20ostensibly=20meaningless=20Washington=20=

wonk-speak.=20=20But=20it=20goes=20further=E2=80=94the=20bill,=20if=20passe=
d,=20would=20
prohibit=20civil=20suits=20arising=20out=20of=20a=20failure=20to=20provide=
=20adequate=20
access=20to=20public=20accommodations=20for=20the=20disabled=20unless=20the=
=20
plaintiff=20provides=20offending=20property=20owners=20with=20a=20written=20=

notice=20specifying=20the=20deficiency.=20=20Owners=20would=20then=20have=20=
60=20days=20
to=20respond=20with=20a=20written=20plan=20for=20improvement,=20and=20an=20=
additional=20
120=20days=20to=20correct=20the=20deficiency,=20or=20at=20least=20demonstra=
te=20
sufficient=20progress=20towards=20a=20correction.

=20As=20of=20now,=20if=20a=20disabled=20individual=20cannot=20access=20a=20=
business=20
open=20to=20the=20public,=20they=20can=20immediately=20file=20a=20complaint=
=20with=20
the=20Justice=20Department,=20which=20will=20investigate=20and=20determine=
=20
whether=20a=20legitimate=20ADA=20violation=20has=20occurred.=20=20If=20a=20=
violation=20
is=20identified,=20most=20plaintiffs=20opt=20to=20mediate=20with=20the=20of=
fending=20
business=20under=20the=20Justice=20Department=E2=80=99s=20moderation.=20=20=
If=20a=20
business=20fails=20to=20cooperate,=20the=20Justice=20Department=20may=20sue=
=20on=20
the=20disabled=20individual=E2=80=99s=20behalf.=20=20These=20individuals=20=
may=20also=20
file=20lawsuits=20against=20businesses=20in=20civil=20court=20without=20fed=
eral=20
involvement,=20sidestepping=20the=20entire=20mediation=20process.

=20=E2=80=9CThe=20cornerstone=20of=20current=20enforcement=20options=20is=20=
that=20the=20
violation=20can=20often=20be=20resolved=20swiftly,=E2=80=9D=20Robyn=20Powel=
l,=20an=20
attorney=20and=20disability=20law=20and=20policy=20consultant=20who=20disab=
led=20
herself,=20writes=20for=20Rewire.=20=20With=20the=20passage=20of=20HR=20620=
,=20
individuals=20with=20disabilities=20will=20be=20forced=20to=20wait=20180=20=
days,=20
and=20likely=20longer,=20to=20seek=20vindication=20of=20their=20
federally-protected=20civil=20rights.

=20Sponsored=20by=20Texas=20representative=20Ted=20Poe,=20a=20Republican,=20=
along=20
with=20two=20Republican=20and=20three=20Democratic=20colleagues=20all=20fro=
m=20
Texas=20and=20California,=20HR=20620=20aims=20to=20=E2=80=9Ccurb=20frivolou=
s=20lawsuits=20
filed=20by=20cash-hungry=20attorneys=20and=20plaintiffs=20that=20abuse=20th=
e=20
ADA,=E2=80=9D=20according=20to=20a=20a=20Jan.=20=202017=20press=20release.

=20Poe=20contends=20that=20most=20small=20business=20owners=20in=20the=20US=
=20
=E2=80=9Cbelieve=20that=20they=20are=20in=20compliance=20with=20the=20ADA=20=
and=20have=20even=20
passed=20local=20and=20state=20inspections.=E2=80=9D=20However,=20=E2=80=9C=
certain=20
attorneys=20and=20their=20pool=20of=20serial=20plaintiffs=20troll=20for=20m=
inor,=20
easily=20correctable=20ADA=20infractions=20so=20they=20can=20file=20a=20law=
suit=20and=20
make=20some=20cash.=E2=80=9D=20He=20points=20to=20an=20alleged=20=E2=80=9Cw=
hole=20industry=E2=80=9D=20
comprised=20of=20=E2=80=9Cpeople=20who=20prey=20on=20small=20business=20own=
ers=20and=20file=20
unnecessary,=20abusive=20lawsuits.=E2=80=9D

=20And=20he=E2=80=99s=20not=20entirely=20wrong.=20=20Indeed,=20=20according=
=20to=20a=20report=20
compiled=20by=20attorneys=20with=20the=20employment/labor=20law=20firm=20Se=
yfarth=20
Shaw,=20ADA=20Title=20III=20lawsuits=E2=80=94the=20aforementioned=20suits=20=
filed=20in=20
civil=20court=20sans=20Justice=20Department=20intervention=E2=80=94surged=20=
37%=20in=20
2016.=20=20But=20only=20a=20fractional=20minority=20of=20these=20suits=20we=
re=20filed=20
by=20so-called=20serial=20plaintiffs,=20with=20only=2012=20having=20filed=20=
more=20
than=20100=20ADA=20Title=20III=20suits=20respectively.=20=20(A=20group=20in=
cluding=20
two=20broader=20disabled-rights=20advocacy=20organizations,=20among=20some=
=20
notable=20ADA=20abusers.)

=20While=20frivolous=20ADA=20Title=20III=20suits,=20also=20known=20as=20=E2=
=80=9Cdrive-by=20
lawsuits,=E2=80=9D=20are=20certainly=20a=20problem=20worth=20addressing,=20=

disabled-rights=20advocates=20view=20HR=20620=20as=20a=20bill=20that=20addr=
esses=20
symptoms=20over=20root=20cause.

=20=E2=80=9CThere=20is=20no=20active=20monitoring=20of=20ADA=20compliance,=
=E2=80=9D=20writes=20
Kim=20Sauder,=20a=20disability=20studies=20scholar,=20in=20a=20Dec.=20=2020=
16=20entry=20
published=20to=20her=20blog,=20Crippled=20Scholar.=20=20=E2=80=9CDealing=20=
with=20
infractions=20of=20laws=20governing=20accessibility=20[in=20the=20US]=20is=
=20often=20
primarily=20done=20through=20complaints.=20=20So=20while=20the=20law=20may=
=20say=20what=20
needs=20to=20be=20done,=20unless=20someone=20actually=20complains=20there=20=
is=20
little=20incentive=20to=20actively=20comply.=20=20There=20is=20no=20indepen=
dent=20
body=20doing=20regular=20inspections=20and=20meting=20out=20fines=20for=20
non-compliance.=E2=80=9D

=20In=20effect,=20measures=20like=20HR=20620,=20which=20stifle=20the=20comp=
laints=20
process,=20actively=20obstruct=20enforcement=20of=20the=20ADA=20as=20it=20i=
s=20
currently=20formulated.=20=20=E2=80=9CEnforcement=20depends=20on=20people=20=
with=20
disabilities=20who=20know=20their=20rights=20to=20challenge=20violations,=E2=
=80=9D=20
Robyn=20Powell=20explains.=20=20=E2=80=9CFiling=20lawsuits=20is=20timely=20=
and=20
expensive.=20=20Finding=20an=20attorney=20that=20is=20knowledgeable=20about=
=20the=20
ADA=20is=20very=20challenging.=20=20I=20say=20this=20because=20I=20believe=
=20it=20is=20
fairly=20safe=20to=20assume=20that=20there=20are=20far=20more=20ADA=20viola=
tions=20
occurring=20than=20we=20will=20ever=20hear=20of.=20=20As=20a=20disabled=20w=
oman,=20I=20
encounter=20violations=20daily.=E2=80=9D

=20Still,=20a=20few=20notable=20cases=20of=20ADA=20abuse=20(such=20as=20Flo=
rida=E2=80=99s=20
prolific=20drive-by=20plaintiff,=20Howard=20Cohan),=20supplemented=20by=20
high-profile=20expos=C3=A9s=20that=20only=20substantially=20consider=20one=
=20side=20
of=20the=20issue,=20have=20instilled=20a=20widespread=20misconception:=20Th=
at=20ADA=20
regulations=20are=20overwhelmingly=20weaponized=20against=20small-business=
=20
owners=20to=20the=20enrichment=20of=20a=20few=20slick-haired=20lawyers=20an=
d=20
system-gaming=20plaintiffs.=20=20It=E2=80=99s=20a=20bilateral=20shoving-mat=
ch=20that=20
excludes=20the=20individuals=20the=20ADA=20was=20specifically=20crafted=20t=
o=20
protect.

=20Parking=20regulations=20are=20among=20the=20most=20frequently=20cited=20=
in=20
arguments=20against=20the=20current=20system=20of=20ADA=20enforcement.=20=20=
=E2=80=9CWhat=20
opponents=20don=E2=80=99t=20understand=20is=20that=20the=20width=20of=20par=
king=20spaces=20
matter=20for=20people=20with=20disabilities=20who=20drive,=20such=20as=20my=
self,=E2=80=9D=20
Powell=20says.=20=20=E2=80=9CI=20drive=20a=20wheelchair-accesible=20van.=20=
=20If=20someone=20
parks=20too=20close,=20I=20am=20literally=20stuck=20because=20no=20one=20be=
sides=20me=20
can=20drive=20my=20van.=20=20This=20has=20happened=20to=20me=20more=20times=
=20than=20I=20
[can]=20count,=20leaving=20me=20stranded=20outside=20for=20hours,=20until=20=
the=20
person=20returns=20to=20their=20car.=E2=80=9D

=20The=20solution=20disabled-rights=20advocates=20call=20for=20revamps=20AD=
A=20
enforcement=20methods=20entirely,=20sidelining=20citizen=20complaints=20as=
=20
the=20chief=20vehicle=20for=20compliance,=20and=20inspiring=20more=20
evenly-spread=20regulation.=20=20=E2=80=9CIt=20would=20be=20better=20if=20g=
overnment=20
took=20an=20active=20role=20in=20monitoring=20and=20enforcing=20accessibili=
ty=20
legislation,=E2=80=9D=20says=20Kim=20Sauder.=20=20=E2=80=9CIt=20would=20lik=
ely=20create=20a=20
more=20accessible=20environment.=20=20It=20would=20also=20remove=20the=20ne=
ed=20for=20
mass=20lawsuits.=20=20It=20would=20also=20remove=20the=20proprietor-as-vict=
im=20
narrative=20because=20the=20law=20would=20be=20enforced=20more=20uniformly.=
=20=20
People=20would=20not=20be=20able=20to=20opine=20that=20they=20had=20been=20=
hit=20with=20an=20
infraction=20when=20the=20guy=20down=20the=20street=20did=20not.=E2=80=9D

=20Of=20course,=20this=20is=20a=20long=20shot=20in=20the=20current=20politi=
cal=20climate.=20=20
The=20Trump=20administration,=20and=20our=20Republican-dominated=20
legislature,=20have=20demonstrated=20an=20outsized=20affinity=20for=20the=20=

interests=20of=20small-business=20owners=E2=80=94at=20least=20on=20paper=E2=
=80=94and=20an=20
active=20hostility=20towards=20federal=20regulation.=20=20Neither=20is=20li=
kely=20
to=20recognize=20stricter=20federal=20regulation=20as=20a=20solution=20to=20=
any=20
problem,=20not=20least=20enforcement=20of=20the=20ADA.

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