This new bill would incentivize businesses dragging their feet to comply with the ADA’s accessibility obligations. It would also act as a profound deterrent to people looking to enforce their rights under the ADA. Already under existing law, the onus is mostly on them to trigger enforcement and accountability. Under H.R. 620, that burden would be compounded by months of delay and new bureaucratic hurdles. Many people would likely give up rather than put themselves through all that – and perhaps that’s exactly the point.

The United States has the obligation to ensure businesses do not discriminate against people with disabilities. Yet H.R. 620 would actually create more obstacles for them to access justice.