When Governor Newsom enacted monumental reforms to California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), he established a model for collaboration between small business owners, lawmakers, and labor groups.
Aptly noted by Maria Cazares in her op-ed, “California is in dire need of ADA reform, and now we have a blueprint,” the precedent set by PAGA reforms presents a blueprint for addressing key issues surrounding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
As a small business owner in California, I have seen first-hand the exponential rise of ADA lawsuits.
Predatory trial lawyers file ADA lawsuits against small business owners for no purpose other than to make a quick buck.
Unfortunately, many of my friends and colleagues have been forced to close their businesses due to a lack of resources to defend themselves against exploitative trial lawyers.
Watching people close to me struggle to keep their businesses afloat raises significant concerns about my small business’s ability to operate in a legal environment awash with frivolous ADA litigation.
Lawmakers need to recognize the valuable lessons from Newsom’s PAGA reform.
To create a more balanced and practical framework for the ADA – one that protects the rights of individuals with disabilities while preventing trial lawyers from exploiting small businesses – lawmakers must collaborate with all stakeholders.
The stakes are too high for small business owners to continue allowing trial lawyers to exploit the ADA.
Reform is required to restore the Americans with Disabilities Act’s original intent: creating meaningful accessibility.
PAGA served as a model, and now it is up to the California legislature to introduce laws that would help their hard-working constituents thrive, not fight to survive.
