The Importance of Prioritizing Accessibility in the Arts

By Jack McElaney | April 21, 2023 | | 0

Accessibility in the News — 4/21/2023. Accessibility in the arts is crucial for creating a more inclusive and diverse society. By making the arts accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities, we allow people to fully participate in and enjoy the cultural experiences that are so integral to our society. Accessibility means providing options for people with different types of disabilities, such as hearing or visual impairments, mobility issues, or[…]

Chicago Found Violating Americans with Disabilities Act by Failing to Provide Accessible Pedestrian Signals

By Jack McElaney | April 14, 2023 | | 0

Accessibility in the News — 4/14/2023. The US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has found the city of Chicago liable for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and Rehabilitation Act by failing to provide accessible pedestrian signals at its signalized intersections. Accessible pedestrian signals (APS) provide safe-crossing information in a non-visual format, such as through audible tones, speech messages and vibrating surfaces. The city was sued by[…]

Kansas Lawmakers Approve Bill To Deter Out Of State Attorneys From Filing ADA Lawsuits Against Kansas Websites

By Jack McElaney | April 7, 2023 | | 0

Accessibility in the News — 4/7/2023. Kansas legislators have approved a bill aimed at deterring out-of-state attorneys from suing businesses alleging non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on their websites. The bill allows the attorney general to file countersuits if deemed abusive by the courts, and grants businesses 90 days to correct website issues. The original version was seen as heavy-handed. The new version was approved by the[…]

Supreme Court To Hear Case On Whether ADA Testers Have Right To Sue Hotels They Don’t Intend To Visit

By Jack McElaney | March 31, 2023 | | 1

Accessibility in the News — 3/31/2023. The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case concerning the right of an ADA “tester” to sue hotels over a rule outlined in the American’s With Disabilities Act. The case was brought by Acheson Hotels, which owns a hotel in Maine and was sued by Deborah Laufer, who has filed hundreds of similar lawsuits against hotels across the US. Laufer claims that[…]

Supreme Court Decision in Favor of Deaf Student Could Give Parents of Disabled Children More Leverage in Education Negotiations

By Jack McElaney | March 24, 2023 | | 0

Accessibility in the News — 3/24/2023. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of a deaf student, Miguel Perez, who sued his school for inadequate education, potentially giving parents of students with disabilities more bargaining power. The ruling could simplify laws governing special education students and provide parents with more negotiating power, but schools fear it could lead to a legal battle over money and more litigation. NOTE: To get news[…]

ADA Lawsuit Numbers Continue To Increase With New York Leading The Charge

By Jack McElaney | March 17, 2023 | | 0

Accessibility in the News — 3/17/2023. NOTE: To get news like this every week in your inbox, before it hits our website, subscribe to our Accessibility in the News e-newsletter. There are no ads or graphics, and we never send spam. Just use the sign-up form on this page to subscribe and stay up to date! Feature Story Skip to National News (U.S.) | Skip to International News More Accessibility[…]

New Bill In Congress Could Put An End To Subminimum Wage For People With Disabilities

By Jack McElaney | March 10, 2023 | | 0

Accessibility in the News — 3/10/2023. Lawmakers in Congress are pushing to end the practice of subminimum wages for disabled people, which affects about 122,000 individuals in the U.S. Some employers can currently pay disabled people far below state minimums, with many earning less than $3.50 an hour. The bipartisan Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act, reintroduced on Feb. 27, aims to end this practice. Under Section 14(c) of the[…]

Federal Report Shows Lack Of Accessibility On Many Federal Websites

By Jack McElaney | March 3, 2023 | | 0

Accessibility in the News — 3/3/2023. A new report released by the Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed that the federal government is not complying with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires federal agencies to ensure that their websites are accessible to individuals with disabilities. The report shows that one in 10 public-facing websites at major federal departments and agencies are not fully accessible, and three in five internal[…]

Prioritizing Accountability and Accessibility for Aviation Consumers Act Introduced In Senate

By Jack McElaney | February 24, 2023 | | 0

Accessibility in the News — 2/24/2023. U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Deb Fischer have introduced bipartisan legislation called the Prioritizing Accountability and Accessibility for Aviation Consumers Act of 2023 to improve transparency surrounding disability-related complaints with air travel. The bill would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to publish an annual report that discloses all disability-related complaints made throughout the year, including specifics about how the complaints were resolved. The[…]

Will We Finally Have Accessibility… In The News? Websites Working To Make News More Accessible To All

By Jack McElaney | February 17, 2023 | | 0

Accessibility in the News — 2/17/2023. As you all know, us here at Accessibility in the News have long been proponents of making news accessible. Providing accessibility features on news websites is crucial for people with disabilities to access information and stay informed about current events. It is important to recognize that individuals with disabilities have a right to access news and information in a way that works for them,[…]