An underreported bill in the current congressional session would create a waiting period for Americans with Disabilities Act claims.

"The House judiciary committee has voted to move forward with a bill that could roll back some Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protections," reports Sara Luterman.
The ADA Education and Reform Act (HR 620), "would amend the ADA to add a 120 day waiting period between when a business is notified of an ADA violation and when the person reporting can take the case to court," reports Luterman. "During that 120 days, businesses would be expected to fix or 'make substantial progress' towards fixing a reported accessibility problem."
Bill author Representative Ted Poe (R-Tex) has said that the bill is designed to protect small business from predatory lawsuits. National Disability Rights Network Senior Policy Analyst Dara Baldwin of the has posted an online petition asserting that HR 620 "would create significant obstacles" for disabled people to enforce their rights "to access public accommodations, and would impede their ability to engage in daily activities and participate in the mainstream of society."
The bill has bipartisan support. "Now that it has gone through markup, the bill will go to the floor of the House of Representatives, where it will go to a vote," adds Luterman.
FULL STORY: ANTI-ADA LEGISLATION ADVANCES IN HOUSE

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie