JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SUES STATE OF NEW YORK FOR VIOLATING RIGHTS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

WASHINGTON, D.C.- The Justice Department announced today the filing of a lawsuit against the state of New York and the New York public university system for violating the rights of students with disabilities.

The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, alleges that New York failed to offer voter registration opportunities for students with disabilities as required by Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act

(NVRA).

Specifically, the NVRA requires states to designate, as mandatory voter registration offices, all state-funded offices that primarily serve persons with disabilities. The disability services offices at the State University of New York (“SUNY”) and the City University of New York (“CUNY”), including those on their community college campuses, have never been so designated.

“Participatory democracy begins with access to the voting process,” said R. Alexander Acosta, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “Recognizing that many of our fellow citizens cannot easily access some locations where voter registration might take place, the National Voter Registration Act requires that process to be brought to them. This Administration is committed to ensuring full access to the voting process for all qualified citizens.”

The suit asks the court to require the state of New York to provide voter registration services at all state university disability-services offices. These services would include providing voter registration applications, assistance in completing forms, and forwarding completed applications to the appropriate state election offices.

The lawsuit is a part of the President’s New Freedom Initiative. Announced as one of President Bush’s first acts in office, the Initiative aims to provide citizens with disabilities all the opportunities required by law. Under the Initiative, the Civil Rights Division has worked with over 35 municipalities to bring their civil buildings into compliance with federal standards, has worked with the small businesses community to promote access issues, and has advanced regulatory simplification to ease compliance burdens, and reduce the need for litigation.

More information about the National Voter Registration Act, the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws is available on the Department of Justice’s website at www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting. <http://www.usdoj.gov> Additional information regarding other laws regarding citizens with disabilities may be found at www.ada.gov <http://www.ada.gov>.

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