What to Do
Author’s note: I will update this section as frequently as I can.
- Attend the Community Briefing held by Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) on February 12, 2025 at 9:30am PT / 12:30pm ET: event link.
- Contact your state’s attorney general: see DREDF’s contact list.
- If your state is part of the lawsuit, tell your AG to drop out.
- If your state is not part of the lawsuit, tell your AG you support Section 504.
The Lawsuit
Texas v. Becerra, filed September 26th, 2024, is a lawsuit with 17 states suing the United States government against Section 504.
This lawsuit is NOT just about 2024 updates to the Section 504 rules. It alleges the entirety of Section 504 is unconstitutional.
Starting on page 33, the lawsuit lists 4 counts:
- “The Final Rule Exceeds Statutory Authority and Is Not in Accordance with Law 5”
- “The Final Rule is Arbitrary and Capricious”
- “Section 504 is Unconstitutional”
- “The Final Rule is Unconstitutional”
If Section 504 goes away, this will impact disabled people at all levels of education, healthcare, employment, and more, where organizations receive financial federal assistance.
The States
- Texas
- Alaska
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Utah
- West Virginia
Resources
- Texas v. Becerra: What it is and How You Can Help Stop the Attack on Section 504 (DREDF.org)
- Plain Language Explainer: Texas v. Becerra Section 504 Under Attack (DREDF.org)
- Making Disability Rights History: HHS Announces Powerful Anti-Discrimination Protections (ACL.gov)
- Election 2024 Policy Brief: HHS’s New Section 504 and Section 1557 Regulations (AAPD.com)
- A Layperson’s Guide to Section 504 (DREDF.org)