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ADAPT MN Questions the Governor About His Legacy About Supporting Ppl w Disabilities and Seniors

Yesterday (8/29) ADAPT MINNESOTA went to the State Fair to question Governor Dayton about not funding OVERTIME for Homecare.  Gov. Dayton wa...

Thursday, October 12, 2017

AAPD Action Alert:


The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is a convener, connector, and catalyst for change, increasing the political and economic power of people with disabilities.

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Action Alert!

Stop Bipartisan Congressional Attacks on the ADA!

October 12, 2017


Earlier this year, the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 (H.R. 620) was passed out of the House Judiciary Committee, clearing the way for a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives. This bill would seriously weaken the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by delaying requirements that businesses be accessible to people with disabilities.


The proposed legislation requires a person with a disability to provide inaccessible businesses with a written notice of the barrier, after which the business has 60 days to even acknowledge there is a problem, and then another 120 days to begin to fix it. No other civil rights group is forced to wait 180 days to enforce their civil rights!


While a full House vote has not been scheduled at this time, the bill is picking up bipartisan support. There are currently 71 co-sponsors (59 Republicans and 12 Democrats).

 

We urge you to contact your Representatives and tell them to vote no on H.R. 620!


Don't let this bill weaken the ADA and the rights of people with disabilities!

Take Action

All Members of the House of Representatives need to hear from the disability community. Make them aware of this ill-advised and damaging bill.

 

Message / Talking Points

Vote “NO” on H.R. 620, the ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017.

The ADA Education and Reform Act would seriously weaken the Americans with Disabilities Act and would turn people with disabilities into second-class citizens.

H.R. 620 would require a person with a disability who encounters an access barrier to send an exactly written notice and gives the business owner 60 days to even acknowledge that there is a problem – and then another 120 days to begin to fix it. No other civil rights group is forced to wait 180 days to enforce their civil rights.

The ADA is already very carefully crafted to take the needs of business owners into account. Compliance is simply not burdensome – existing businesses are only required to provide access when doing so is readily achievable. But this bill would remove any reason for businesses to comply. Instead, they can take a “wait and see” attitude, and do nothing until they happen to be sued or sent a notice letter.

Title III regulations of the ADA went into effect in 1992, providing accessibility standards for private businesses (also known as public accommodations). Businesses have had over 25 years to comply with these regulations.

H.R. 620 calls for education by the Department of Justice (DOJ). But there are already extensive federal efforts to educate business owners about their ADA obligations, including the in-depth DOJ ADA website (www.ada.gov), which received 30 million visits in 2016 and 2017, the DOJ ADA hotline, which received over 97,000 calls, extensive DOJ technical assistance materials, etc., and by the 10 federally-funded regional ADA Centers (www.adata.org) that provide in-depth resources and training in every state.

Proponents of this bill have raised concerns about monetary damage awards. But that has nothing to do with the ADA, since the ADA does not allow money damages. Such damages are only available under a handful of state laws. This bill will do nothing to prevent damage awards under state laws.

It is troubling that this bill blames people with disabilities for public accommodations’ failure to comply with the ADA. Why should disabled people pay the price of an inaccessible environment, where we cannot live our lives like everyone else?

 

Meet with your Representatives

You can arrange a meeting in Washington, DC or in your home state, depending on when Congress is in session. Contacting Congress allows you to request a meeting with your Member of Congress. You can also check the Town Hall Project for congressional events in your area.

Civic Engagement Toolbox for Self-Advocates – Autistic Self Advocacy Network

How to Set up a Meeting with your Member of Congress – Families USA

 

Call your Representatives

Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Representative.

 

Email your Representatives

Contacting Congress provides unique links to email your Representative directly.

 

Tweet your Representatives

Twitter has become a powerful tool to communicate with elected officials directly. Find your Representative on Twitter and tell them to oppose this bill. Some sample tweets are included below:

Tell Congress to stop chipping away at the #ADA - Vote "NO" on #HR620 https://goo.gl/rHg5HB

#HR620 would force people w/ disabilities to wait 180 days to enforce their civil rights - Vote "NO" on H.R. 620 https://goo.gl/rHg5HB

Businesses have had nearly 3 decades to comply with the #ADA - no more excuses! Vote "NO" on #HR620 https://goo.gl/rHg5HB

#HR620 won't stop "drive by" #ADA lawsuits, but it will strip civil rights from people with disabilities. https://goo.gl/rHg5HB

[insert Representative handle] protect the #ADA and the rights of people with disabilities - Vote "NO" on #HR620! https://goo.gl/rHg5HB

Additional Resources

The Quiet Attack on the ADA Making Its Way Through Congress – Center for American Progress

Overview of concerns with H.R. 620 – Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund

Comments on H.R. 620 – US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division

H.R. 620 – Congress.gov

Save the ADA web page – National Disability Rights Network

Letter of Opposition to H.R. 620 – National Disability Leadership Alliance

Letter of Opposition to H.R. 620 – National Council on Independent Living

 

We cannot allow Congress to chip away at the ADA and deny the civil rights of people with disabilities – tell your Representative to vote NO on HR 620.

 

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Thursday, July 27, 2017

Save Our Skyways Action TODAY

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 27, 2017

 #saveourskyways #adaptandresist

For more Information and Media contacts:

Tyler Frank………………(612) 791-0416

Darrell Paulsen……………(651)387-8354

Rick Cardenas…………..(651) 357-8927

ADAPT Minnesota is a chapter of the national ADAPT. ADAPT is a grass-roots community that organizes disability rights activists to engage in non-violent direct action, including civil disobedience, to assure the civil and human rights of people with disabilities to live in freedom.

WHEN: July 27th 2017 Tonight at 7:30 Start picketing and leafleting; at 8pm we will make a statement asking the City of St. Paul to ensure us that the Skyways will stay open until 2am, as per city code. Our statement will also ask the Barrio and the Bulldog to join with us in wanting to keep the Skyways open.

WHO: ADAPT MN; People with Disabilities, Seniors and Residents of the Downtown St. Paul Community

WHAT: Members of ADAPT MN and allies will be picketing and leafleting.

WHERE: In front of the Barrio-235 Sixth St E- St. Paul and the Bulldog

WHY: A section of the skyway is being shut down, which gives access to all of downtown and to the Barrio.

This is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act ADA !!!

We need to let the owner of the building and the City of St Paul know we will NOT tolerate this!

We need full access to the Skyways!

http://www.facebook.com/adaptmn

http://www.adapt.org 


Monday, October 3, 2016

REV UP 2016!!!


Dear Disability Rights Advocates:

In July 2015 we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

We can take great pride in the historic advances we have made in the community integration of people with disabilities of all ages since the passage of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. No matter what the issue— education, housing, transportation, personal assistance services, employment, recreation, adaptive technology, durable medical equipment, or health care, we can see the advances that have improved our lives and moved us closer to true equality.

This has come about by working together and implementing a strategy that has included legislative, legal, direct action, and educational tactics. These tactics are part of our overall goal to bring about the community integration promised in the ADA.

We cannot rest on our past victories. We must build on the past and move forward using the power we have acquired. This power can be exerted if we Make the DISABILITY VOTE Count! Policymakers are influenced by large numbers of people turning out to vote in the primaries and the general elections. This reality is why we started the REV UP Campaign.

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is a convener, connector, and catalyst for change, increasing the political and economic power of people with disabilities. The focus of the REV UP Campaign is to get more people with disabilities and our supporters registered and voting!

This Toolkit is designed to help you begin organizing in your state. Effective REV UP Campaigns will convene state and local disability organizations, such as centers for independent living (CIL) and protection and advocacy (P&A) organizations, to amplify this message and reach more people with disabilities.

If you need assistance getting connected to CILs or P&As in your state please contact AAPD at communications@aapd.com. We’ll be happy to make an introduction.

 


Register! Educate! Vote!

Use your Power!
 
 

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

ADAPT MN Questions the Governor About His Legacy About Supporting Ppl w Disabilities and Seniors



Yesterday (8/29) ADAPT MINNESOTA went to the State Fair to question Governor Dayton about not funding OVERTIME for Homecare. 


Gov. Dayton was at the MN State Fair Monday on his usual round of interviews, when ADAPT MN found the Governor at the WCCO Radio booth. We listened to him discuss the political game of tag, which is the Southwest Light Rail, when ADAPT MN Member Jay Spika had to ask a question he thought was more relevant to him and his family...
He said...
Governor Dayton, do you care about people with disabilities?

The WCCO Radio Host said that if we gave him a chance he would let us ask the Governor a question.

We waited for him to finish and then he brought over the microphone for another ADAPT MN Member Nikki Villavicencio to ask the Governor what thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, and Homecare workers have been wondering...
She said...
Gov. Dayton you haven't funded OVERTIME for Homecare workers, so we're (ppl w disabilities) not getting our needs met. When Obama fixed this racist overtime laws, it meant we were supposed to be fully staffed. How does not supporting people with disabilities and seniors fulfilling your legacy?

Then the Governor responded on Live WCCO Radio by saying that he would make Overtime a priority next legislative session and we said that we would be there to hold him accountable to that promise.

After we left the booth Lt. Governor Tina Smith approached us to ask us about what we were doing and we explained to Lt. Gov. Smith that we have been trying to get a meeting with them for three months and we need the Governor to hear about the care crisis from people with disabilities and Homecare workers now.