Our View of the Legislature – Virginians with Disabilities Act

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In a very rare move, the 2025 General Assembly has decided to delay the beginning of the session! The city of Richmond has been in a water shortage crisis for two days and the General Assembly is located in downtown Richmond. No running water means … no start of the session.

The legislature will convene “pro forma” on Wednesday, to officially begin, but will then recess until Monday. We expect that staff will continue to post bills to the legislative service’s website while in recess.

dLCV has been working with the legislature for many years to understand the value of a strong state law protecting disability rights. This year, the legislature will consider bills that continue to move us along that course. If passed, these will bring state law into better alignment with federal law:

  • HB 1680 (Cohen) includes “websites” in the definition of “place of public accommodation.” The Virginians with Disabilities Act requires that a place of public accommodation must remove barriers to access when the removal is readily achievable.
  • HB 1800 (Cohen) – adds “public playgrounds” to the list of public places covered by the VDA. The VDA states that someone with a disability has the same rights as other persons to the full and free use of many public places. The legislation makes clear that it includes public playgrounds.

dLCV seeks to advance independence, choice, and self-determination; protect legal, human, and civil rights; and eliminate abuse, neglect, and discrimination of people with disabilities. We do this through zealous and uncompromising legal advocacy and representation. We are available to educate policymakers about the potential impact of legislative proposals. Please let us know of any legislative proposals or budget issues that you think we should be following. Contact us at info@dlcv.org or by calling 800-552-3962 or 804-225-2042.