Home : Disability Rights

ACLU of Maryland and Maryland Disability Law Center Hail Governor for Signing New Accessible “Paper Trail” Bill (05/17/2007)
The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland and the Maryland Disability Law Center (MDLC) joined today to celebrate a shared victory for all Maryland voters in the enactment of an election law requiring Maryland’s voting system to produce voter verified paper records. The law, HB 18/SB 392, also contains model standards for voters with disabilities.

New Mexico Mall Agrees to Temporarily Allow Man to Use Segway (05/02/2007)
ALBUQUERQUE - The Mesilla Valley Mall in Las Cruces, NM agreed to a preliminary injunction that will allow John R. Funk to operate his Segway in the mall. Funk, who has severe scoliosis and spinal stenosis, uses the Segway as an alternative to a wheelchair.

Hampton Veterans Hospital to Allow Visitors (04/16/2007)
HAMPTON, VA Following the threat of a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia the Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center today announced that it will allow patients held in its psychiatric ward to have visitors, effective immediately.

ACLU of Virginia Demands Veterans Hospital Lift Ban on Patients’ Visitors (04/11/2007)
HAMPTON, VA — The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia today sent a letter to the Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center demanding that it rescind a two-year old policy preventing psychiatric patients from receiving visitors. The civil liberties organization says it is considering litigation, but hopes to resolve the matter without going to court.

ACLU of Massachusetts and Disability Law Center Applaud State Approval of New Voting Technology (03/05/2007)
BOSTON - The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and the Disability Law Center today again joined forces to applaud Massachusetts Secretary of State William F. Galvin's decision to approve the use of a ballot-marking voting machine that is both accessible and secure.

ACLU Welcomes U.S. Department of Justice’s Support in Boca Raton Housing Discrimination Case (09/20/2006)
BOCA RATON, FL -- The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit in federal court today intervening in the city of Boca Raton’s unconstitutional discrimination against persons with disabilities. The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida’s Palm Beach Chapter, which filed suit on behalf of residents with disabilities in 2004, welcomed the DOJ’s support on this important civil liberties case.

ACLU of Rhode Island and Community Groups Denounce Rules Denying Compensation to Certain Crime Victims (07/27/2006)
PROVIDENCE, RI -- Seven organizations that service people with substance abuse problems today sharply criticized as “discriminatory and mean-spirited” regulations approved earlier this week by General Treasurer Paul Tavares, allowing the state to deny compensation to victims of violent crimes based solely on their past drug-related criminal history.

Westmoreland to Remove Barriers in Public Buildings to People with Disabilities (04/11/2006)
WESTMORELAND COUNTY, VA -- In response to a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, the Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors yesterday adopted a plan to make county buildings fully accessible for people with disabilities.

Illinois Residents Sue State for Violating Americans with Disabilities Act, Failing to Provide Community Services (07/28/2005)
CHICAGO -- Nine Illinois residents with developmental disabilities today sued Illinois state officials, seeking an order that would require the state to provide services within a smaller community setting, instead of segregating people in large private institutions. The class-action lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, among others, charges that by warehousing persons with developmental disabilities in large institutions, the state deprives them of their fundamental right to pursue meaningful and productive lives.

Indiana Civil Liberties Union and Broad Coalition Challenge State's New Voting Rights Rules (04/28/2005)
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Civil Liberties Union, acting on behalf of a broad coalition including state representatives and advocacy groups, today filed a challenge to a new state law with the most restrictive voting requirements in the nation, including a mandate that government-issued photo identification must be presented in order for most Hoosier citizens to cast their ballots.

ACLU of Virginia Offers Legal Aid to Methadone Clinics Barred From Opening Under New Law (03/03/2005)
RICHMOND, VA- The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia announced today that it will offer legal representation to methadone clinics prevented from opening because of a new state moratorium. The ACLU charges that the new law discriminates against recovering addicts who are denied the services offered by the clinics.

MI Court of Appeals Backs Disability Rights of Cyclist on Mackinac Island (03/27/2003)
DETROIT - Responding to a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, a state appeals court today ruled unanimously that Mackinac Island violated the Americans With Disabilities Act by refusing to grant a resident with multiple sclerosis his request to use an electric-assisted tricycle.