In April 1977, nearly 50 years ago, a group of people with disabilities staged a sit-in for 25 days at a Federal Building in San Francisco to demand the passage of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Section 504 states something simple but profound: “No otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the United States shall solely on the basis of his handicap, be excluded from the participation, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” This piece of legislation has been the lynchpin of disability rights in America.
Now, Section 504 is under attack. A lawsuit, Texas v. Becerra, was filed to protest an update to Section 504 that was put in place by the Biden administration at the end of 2024. A total of 17 states have joined the lawsuit, which claims that Section 504 is unconstitutional. If the court rules that Section 504 is unconstitutional, it will completely dismantle disability rights in the country, especially because Section and the American Disabilities with American Act are linked. Further, this will set a precedent for dismantling other anti-discrimination statutes.
The court hearing begins on February 25, 2025. Sibling Leadership Network strongly urges you to reach out to your state’s attorney general, especially if you live in one of the 17 states that is involved in the lawsuit, and let them know how this court case could impact you, your family, and your community. For more information, please see the DREDF’s resource page.