Minions of disabled Carmichael attorney Scott Johnson are mowing through Stockton like a scourge, visiting ma and pa businesses, finding architectural bariers out of compliance with the Americas With Disabilities Act, warning them to get up to standards immediately or he’ll sue the pants off them.
Finally, a legislator is taking awhack at reforming the flawed law under which Johnston and his ilk enforce and exploit the law. Conressman Dan Lungren (R-Gold River-CA) last week introduced a bill to discourage vexatious litigants and make it easier for business owner/operators to stay open and still perform ADA code upgrades.
“Too often these lawsuits are filed and the accuser takes the settlement money and moves on down the road,” Lungren said in a pres release. “Access for the disabled does not get fixed because the business owner has spent his money on the lawsuit. The business owner loses out, disabled Americans still can’t patronize the place — only the pockets of the one bringing the suit are enriched,” said Lungren, who launched H.R. 3356, otherwise known as the ACCESS Act (ADA Compliance for Customer Entry to Stores and Services).
Lungren will host a press conference at Sacramento’s Squeeze Inn Burger Joint Thursday to discuss his reforms. He’s lined up numerous allies.
“Abusive ADA lawsuits do nothing to improve access for the disabled; they merely line the pockets of the lawyers who file them, thereby taking away jobs and tax revenue,” said Tom Scott, Executive Director of California Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse. “By establishing a short window of time for businesses to fix alleged ADA violations without legal action, we can help rid our courts of lawsuits motivated by greed and instead focus on ensuring that customers have a safe and comfortable experience while frequenting businesses in our communities.”
There simply has to be a better way to enforce the ADA law than through self-enriching litigants. Can’t wait to read Lungren’s bill.
