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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-01-26 Correspondence - Disability Rights Montana - A quiet legal fight that could change disabled Montanans' livesFrom:Disability Rights Montana - Growth Rings To:Bozeman Public Comment Subject:[EXTERNAL]A quiet legal fight that could change disabled Montanans" lives Date:Tuesday, March 31, 2026 12:04:00 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Every paid subscription supports Disability Rights Montana’s work across Montana. Federal funding is nowhere near sufficient to meet the advocacy and culture change work that is needed. You can help fund the future you want to see! GR 504 sign on.mp4 Watch now A quiet legal fight that could changedisabled Montanans' lives And what you can do about it READ IN APP Sign the letter You may have seen me write about this before, but many people haven’t, and the stakes remain too high to let it fade into the background. Right now, Montana’s Attorney General is part of a small group of state attorneys who filed a federal lawsuit in Texas targeting two core disability civil rights: The right for disabled people to live in the community, not be forced into institutions The right for disabled parents to keep their children, free from stereotypes and prejudice These protections are the reason community-based services, inclusive schools, accessible healthcare, and family integrity exist as a legally protected rights, not charity. The Attorney General’s Office is actively lying to Montanans about this case. They have told concerned citizens that the case isn’t attacking disabled people, it’s just attacking transgender people. Well, I am here to tell you that is flatly false. Now, I don’t think anyone should be attacking transgender people, but MAR 31 if someone intended to attack their rights, this would not be the case in which to do it. The word transgender is never mentioned in the amended complaint filed with the court, because Secretary Kennedy removed references to transgender people from the regulation last year when he took over the agency responsible for the federal regulations. This newly revised and refreshed case is squarely about disability, only disability, 100%! That’s why I felt I needed to record a new Growth Rings podcast episode to clearly explain what this lawsuit is really about, what could change if it succeeds, and why it matters far beyond the courtroom, for families, caregivers, providers, and communities across Montana. The government of Montana and the other states that brought this case say that they specifically have a problem with the following language in the regulations that says federally funded programs should be provided in: “a setting that provides individuals with disabilities the opportunity to interact with nondisabled persons to the fullest extent possible. These settings provide opportunities to live, work, and receive services in the greater community, like individuals without disabilities; are located in mainstream society; offer access to community activities and opportunities at times, frequencies and with persons of an individual’s choosing; and afford individuals choice in their daily life activities.” They also challenge language that protects parental rights and would prohibit Montana and other states from using discriminatory motives when considering the rights of parents with disabilities such as: “[d]ecisions based on speculation, stereotypes, or generalizations that a parent, caregiver, foster parent, or prospective parent, because of a disability, cannot safely care for a child;” and (2) “[d]ecisions based on speculation, stereotypes, or generalizations about a child with a disability.” This isn’t an attack I concocted to rile up the disability community, I’ve got plenty of other bad things happening to the disability community I could spend my time addressing. This is what the attorney general wrote in his lawsuit seeking to erase specific federal civil rights protections. You can read his words yourself at this link: https://dredf.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/89.-Am.-Compl.-1.23.26-Access- Pass.pdf Filed in Texas, this case challenges long-standing disability rights laws that I have worked decades to protect. These rights have made community-based services, inclusive schools, accessible healthcare, and family integrity possible for half a century. If successful, it could push Montana backward. It could push us away from community living and toward segregation and institutionalization. This conversation isn’t about politics. This case is about who gets to live at home, who gets to raise their kids, and what values Montana stands for. If you care about disability rights, caregivers, community-based services, Medicaid, or Montana’s future, this is something you need to know about. Even if you’ve followed this issue before, this update is worth your time. And if this is new to you, I’m glad you’re here now. In solidarity, David P.S. One last reminder, if you believe people with disabilities belong in their communities and have the right to raise their children, you can sign the letter calling on the Attorney General to withdraw from this case. It’s quick, it matters, and it’s been effective before. Read and sign here: https://disabilityrightsmt.org/save-504-again/ You’re currently a free subscriber to Life Beyond Compliance. Upgrading to paid subscriptions supports Disability Rights Montana’s work across Montana. Federal funding is no where near sufficient to meet the advocacy and culture change work that is needed. You can help fund the future you want to see! Upgrade to paid LIKE COMMENT RESTACK © 2026 Disability Rights Montana1022 Chestnut Street, Helena, MT 59601 Unsubscribe