U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) introduced legislation that allows small businesses to make websites accessible for Americans with disabilities while being protected from lawsuits.
The lawmaker said that small businesses are being hit with copy-and-paste demand letters, claiming their websites aren’t ADA-compliant. Instead of giving these small businesses a chance to make things right, attorneys are demanding cash or threatening to drag these mom-and-pop shops into years of expensive litigation.
The bill, the Protecting Small Businesses from Predatory Website Lawsuits Act, amends the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) so a civil lawsuit over website compliance cannot be filed until the owner/operator of the website is notified of their website’s noncompliance with ADA standards.
The owner/operator would then have 180 days to bring it into compliance. Graves said that allowing small business owners a chance to make things right, this legislation protects businesses while strengthening the ADA by ensuring more websites are accessible to Americans with disabilities.
“Small businesses should not be targeted and exploited for a quick cash grab. They should not have to choose between paying a lawyer or paying their employees. These lawsuits are not about helping or ensuring access for customers, they are about making money off hardworking business owners. This bill gives small businesses much-needed protection,” Graves said.