By Maria Polletta | The Republic
Two Arizona legislators are taking aim at “unscrupulous attorneys” they say have exploited state accessibility law to extort businesses — but only one legislator’s strategy is palatable to the disabled residents that law is designed to protect.
Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, and Rep. Maria Syms, R-Paradise Valley, have each introduced legislation in response to a flood of lawsuits filed against Valley businesses last year. The suits alleged violations of the Arizonans with Disabilities Act, the state’s equivalent of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, and racked up thousands in settlement payouts as small-business owners tried to avoid costly legal battles.
