Sacramento, CA – Today Assemblyman Marc Steinorth (R-Rancho Cucamonga) introduced AB 2093 to support business owners in making their properties compliant with disability access standards.
“Many businesses are simply unaware of access violations on their property, and are unexpectedly served with lawsuits which could put them out of business,” said Steinorth. “This doesn’t help customers, business, or our community. AB 2093 empowers businesses to proactively avoid this situation and make their property accessible for all.”
Abusive litigation has unfortunately driven a wedge between the disability community and business groups, who do not oppose the requirements of accessibility standards, but have found that requirements can change without sufficient notice. Small businesses are especially vulnerable, lacking the capability to hire attorneys or keep track of changes.
“Small businesses are the backbone of the California economy,” said Steinorth. “It is critical that their properties are accessible to all of us. I’m proud that AB 2093 will help small businesses keep their doors open to all Californians, serving their communities and employing hardworking individuals.”
California’s Certified Access Specialist program (CASp) offers trained professionals to visit properties to inspect both state and federal accessibility compliance standards. AB 2093 requires CASp inspectors to list the counties they intend to serve, so that business owners may more easily locate and contact inspectors to arrange an appointment. The legislation also requires owners whose properties have undergone CASp inspections to share the resulting report with tenants. This transparency ensures that tenants are aware of any potential violations when signing a lease, better situating both property owners and tenants to make properties compliant.
Assemblyman Steinorth represents the 40th Assembly District which includes Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino, Highland, Loma Linda, and Redlands.
