Legislative Positions

DREDF Urges CA Governor to Veto Bill Eliminating Safeguards on Physician Assisted Suicide SB 380

September 22, 2021
Senate Bill 380, which would roll back important protections for individuals with disabilities who are considering using an aid-in-dying drug for the purpose of ending their life. Assisted suicide is not about choice when people with disabilities lack access to appropriate medical care. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed long standing disparities in our health care delivery system as we witnessed disproportionate rates of infection and mortality among Black and Latine Californians, and throughout our senior and disability communities. DREDF supports making available to all Californians ready access to timely rehabilitative, therapeutic, urgent, palliative (pain management), hospice and related health care options other than physician-assisted suicide. [...]

DREDF Policy Recommendations for Reducing COVID-19 Nursing Home Deaths Through Innovative HCBS

June 4, 2020
On May 21, DREDF submitted data and policy information on several innovative home and community-based projects that could help reduce the steep rates of COVID-19 infection and death of disabled and older persons in nursing homes and other institutions throughout the U.S. Our submission recommends fostering partnerships among health plans, state and local entities, disability organizations, aging organizations, and health and home and community-based service providers to fill the service and support gaps experienced by people with disabilities of all ages who are sheltering in place in their communities. We equally emphasize the importance of data collection on where, when, and how people with disabilities and older persons are experiencing COVID-19 infections and deaths. [...]

DREDF Testimony in Support of AB 3052

May 19, 2020
On Tuesday, May 19 DREDF Staff Attorney Carly A. Myers presented testimony to the California Assembly in support of AB 3052, the Compensation for Survivors of Forced or Involuntary Sterilization Act, which passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee unanimously. The Bill is now heading to the Budget Sub-5 Committee for a hearing on May 21. [...]

Letter of Opposition to Proposed California Legislation to Expand Conservatorship (AB 1971 and AB 2157)

April 6, 2018
Unfortunately, two bills introduced in California’s Assembly seek to expand the definition of “gravely disabled” in order to make it easier to conduct involuntary commitment and treatment of certain mentally ill people, and to expand conservatorship. DREDF strongly disfavors the needless expansion of conservatorship, which broadly allows a conservator to manage the financial affairs and daily life of a conserved person. Those who are conserved are left with limited legal capacity, inevitably lose personal choice in many facets of their lives, and face institutionalization against their will for some period of time. [...]

Save the ADA! Oppose H.R. 620

June 9, 2017
See Extensive Resources & Links To Assist People Fighting This Draconian, Misguided, Damaging Bill!

H.R. 620 would weaken the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a critical source of rights for people with disabilities to architectural access in public accommodations—that is, businesses such as stores, restaurants, hotels, etc. [...]

Letter to California House Co-Sponsors of HR 620

May 25, 2017
...The undersigned are 110 California disability, civil rights, senior, and civic organizations that collectively represent hundreds of thousands of Californians who have or may acquire a disability. We urge you to protect the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and to reconsider and withdraw your co-sponsorship of and support for H.R. 620, the inaptly named ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017. [...]