The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) is supporting congressional correspondence to the Justice Department, seeking clarity on website accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Officials said Reps. Ted Budd (R-NC) and Lou Correa (D-CA) are spearheading the letter campaign from 103 lawmakers, imploring the department to issue guidance addressing unresolved questions about the ADA while restricting the number of demand letters and lawsuits from private plaintiffs.
“Community banks across the country have been the subject of demand letters and lawsuits from plaintiff law firms alleging unsubstantiated violations of Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility requirements for electronic banking services,”
Rebeca Romero Rainey, ICBA president and CEO, said. “ICBA strongly supports this congressional effort to facilitate Justice Department guidance that will provide needed clarity to community banks and other businesses and stem the rapid growth in baseless demand letters and lawsuits.”
The letter calls for the Justice Department to issue guidance that the legal actions violate due process principles while Congress works to provide greater ADA clarity through legislation.
ICBA officials said they are desirous of the Justice Department issuing guidelines to provide community banks and other small businesses a safe harbor against unsubstantiated claims from plaintiff law firms, noting the organization anticipates
continuing to work with Congress and the Justice Department on the issue.