ADA 30 Days to Comply Act

ADA 30 Days to Comply Act: Plain-English Summary

The ADA 30 Days to Comply Act would change how lawsuits are filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the federal law that requires businesses and public places to be accessible to people with disabilities. Specifically, the bill would require that before someone can file a lawsuit claiming an ADA violation, they must first send written notice to the business or property owner, giving them 30 days to fix the problem. Only if the issue remains unresolved after that 30-day window could a lawsuit move forward.

This bill primarily affects small business owners, property owners, and people with disabilities. Supporters of this type of legislation typically argue it protects businesses — especially small ones — from surprise lawsuits over technical accessibility violations that the owner would have willingly corrected if simply notified. Critics often argue that a notice requirement creates an extra hurdle for people with disabilities seeking to enforce their legal rights, potentially weakening the ADA's effectiveness.

The bill has advanced through committee in the House of Representatives, passing out of the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 16 to 8. It would apply broadly across the country to any situation where someone believes a business or public space is not in compliance with ADA accessibility requirements. The core change is straightforward: notify first, then litigate — rather than allowing immediate legal action.