June 17, 2005

Congressman Bill Thomas (R-CA) has introduced a bill (H.B. 2804) that would impose a 90-day notice period before a plaintiff could sue under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The bill would give the potential defendant (store, restaurant, etc.) 90 days in which to remedy the alleged shortcoming before a plaintiff could sue.

Thomas' local newspaper suggests that the bill is a reaction to a spate of ADA suits filed in Thomas' hometown of Bakersfield by a single plaintiff. The paper claims that a number of local businesses had been forced to close their doors as a result of the litigation.