Deregulation and Disability Rights: Federal Policy, Civil Rights, and the Future of the ADA

The current administration has signaled a significant retreat from federal business regulation, including regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Housing Act (FHA), and other critical federal statutes. This shift is evident in actions such as the Department of Justice's withdrawal of ADA guidance documents and the proposed elimination of affirmative action requirements under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, directing agencies to deprioritize the Disparate Impact standard. 

This CLE will analyze how these administration policies will and won't change the impact of accessibility laws on businesses, individuals with disabilities, and the lawyers who represent them. Attendees will gain actionable intelligence on how the federal enforcement posture (DOJ, EEOC, HUD) has changed, why the private enforcement model (especially in ADA Title III cases like website accessibility) remains a dominant and high-risk area, and what changes, if any, businesses subject to the ADA, FHA, and Rehabilitation Act should make in their compliance policies to mitigate the continued threat of private litigation and state-level enforcement.