When the controversial disabilities-rights group AID sued thousands of Valley businesses last year, it argued that after 26 years, businesses should comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
One Arizona lawmaker agreed, so he introduced legislation that would give businesses time to fix violations. But disability advocates say a cure period is bad idea.
Larry Wanger, with the Arizona Statewide Independent Living Council, is worried about Senate Bill 1198. He says the bill, if passed, would treat people with disabilities like second-class citizens because it could take up to 90 days to fix a violation. And that, says Wanger, is the problem with the cure period.
"Somebody out there might be hearing this and say what’s the harm in that and the reality is twofold. Number one this is not new. These requirements are not new. They’ve had almost 27 years to comply. And secondly, it removes any incentive a business actually has to take steps to comply in advance," Wanger said.
Arizona Republican Sen. John Kavanagh sponsored the bill. He sponsored a similar measure last year, which failed. In Congress, U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., introduced the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2016. His bill calls for a 120-day cure period.
