New Disability Caucus Created and Signing of Section 504 Commemorated with Assembly Resolution 179

Last Thursday the California Assembly voted on and unanimously approved ACR 179 (Jones-Sawyer), a new resolution that recognizes the importance of Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which laid the foundation for the passage of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.  The resolution states, “California is recognized as the birthplace of the disability rights movement and independent living movement. On April 28, 1977, disability rights activists in California secured implementation of the rights established under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, after leading the longest sit-in of a federal building in United States history.”

The vote was preceded by a press conference that was attended by the author of the bill, Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer, other members of the Legislature, and leaders of California’s disability community.

The resolution originally included the creation of an official disability caucus within the California Legislature, but that part of the resolution was removed and instead the legislative leaders committed to creating an unofficial legislative disability caucus.