17 Republican-Led States Challenge Federal Disability Protections in Landmark Lawsuit

The lawsuit questions the constitutionality of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, raising fears of weakened disability rights nationwide.

Republican attorneys general from 17 states have filed a lawsuit seeking to declare Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act unconstitutional, citing concerns over its application to gender dysphoria.
Section 504 prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in programs receiving federal funding and supports millions of students and adults with accommodations and protections.
Disability rights advocates warn that overturning Section 504 could strip essential protections for people with disabilities, including access to education, healthcare, and workplace accommodations.
The lawsuit has sparked significant backlash from disability rights groups, parents, and local officials, who argue it threatens decades of progress in disability rights protections.
While some state attorneys general claim the lawsuit targets only the Biden administration's inclusion of gender dysphoria, legal experts highlight that the case explicitly challenges the constitutionality of Section 504 as a whole.