More reversals.

Remarkable how politicos never get matters right the first time!

ism



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Subject: FW: Seattle Times story/Olmstead



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Subject: Seattle Times story/Olmstead





Copyright © 1998 The Seattle Times Company


Local News : Wednesday, March 10, 1999


State pulls out of suit challenging disability law


by Dionne Searcey
Seattle Times Olympia bureau

OLYMPIA - Bowing to pressure from the disabled community, state Attorney
General Christine Gregoire has withdrawn Washington's support for a lawsuit,
now before the U.S. Supreme Court, that advocates for the disabled fear
might
undermine the federal law intended to protect them from discrimination.

Gregoire sent a letter to advocates yesterday announcing the reversal. Gov.
Gary Locke also supports the shift.

Gregoire's office last month filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting
the
state of Georgia's challenge to the Americans With Disabilities Act. Georgia
contends the act usurps a state's authority to decide how to distribute
already limited resources to pay for the needs of disabled people.

"Our signature on this (brief) was not intended to convey a message that the
state is changing its direction toward providing broader choices and
eliminating barriers for persons with disabilities," Gregoire said in the
letter.



Disabled community members and representatives from the American Civil
Liberties Union barraged state offices with letters and phone calls, and
then
met with Gregoire and Locke to encourage the reversal.

"We came to understand the symbolic importance many disabled people have on
this case," said Narda Pierce, solicitor general for Gregoire's office.

Pierce had authorized the friend-of-the-court brief and worked closely with
the state's Department of Social and Health Services in determining that
Washington should lend its support.

The state supported only a section of Georgia's case that challenges federal
regulations the state considers unfunded federal mandates. Pierce had said
her
concern was that federal regulations are "taking the policy choices away
from
state legislators on how to serve the disabled community as a whole."

Advocates for the disabled said they were excited about the state's
reversal.

"I understand the legal reasons for the brief," said state Sen. Darlene
Fairley, D-Lake Forest Park, who uses crutches and lobbied heavily for the
state to remove its name from the brief. "But when it comes to civil rights
of
any group of people, I think that's where there are more important reasons
to
consider."




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