Celebrating 34 years of the Americans with Disabilities Act

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Thirty-four years ago this month, we took a significant step forward in the fight for equality for all Americans with the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Passed on July 26, 1990, the ADA brought remarkable changes to the lives of millions of Americans in the disability community.

Since then, we have recognized every July as Disability Pride Month. This is a time for us to celebrate those in the disability community — our families, friends and neighbors — and acknowledge the great contributions they make every day in the world. Over the past 34 years, our country and state have made substantial progress, but true equality and equity remain unfinished goals.

A recent National Institutes of Health (NIH) study designated people with disabilities as a population with health disparities. According to the report, people with disabilities experience “health conditions leading to poorer health and shorter lifespans” due to the infrastructure built within our society. These barriers to equality and good health are not solely due to inaccessible buildings. The NIH report highlights that there are also barriers codified within our “practices, programs, and policies” that result in discrimination and exclusion from the very systems developed to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities.

These types of barriers are not as apparent as a front door with only stairs to enter through. Yet they are embedded within the everyday lives of people with disabilities and stop certain people from accessing the same opportunities as others. This is unacceptable, and we must change it.

As chair of the Minnesota Senate Human Services Committee, I am proud of the work our committee has done over the past two years. Working together in a bipartisan manner, we have taken numerous important steps to reduce or eliminate every type of barrier that prevents Minnesotans with disabilities from living a full life in their homes and communities.

In 2023, our Human Services budget included the largest investment in the state’s history in caregiving and services that support Minnesota’s disability community. Our budget valued person-centered programs and marked the beginning of the state acknowledging that this sector deserves significant investments. We expanded access to services to help more Minnesotans get the care they need and made real improvements in people’s abilities to stay independent through grants and policy changes that help children grow up with their loved ones and attend school and help people live in a setting and community of their choice.

One of our top priorities is ensuring every Minnesotan does not have to choose between their job or their health. Imagine being too successful at a job and it threatening your ability to retain the care that makes your success possible. This is the unfortunate reality many Minnesotans face in the Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD) Program.

MA-EPD is a program for people who require care and services, such as personal care assistants and specialized equipment, that traditional health insurance through their employer does not cover. For many years, this program included asset limits and bureaucratic hurdles that burdened enrollees with tedious administrative tasks and additional premiums on top of their existing health care costs. These requirements were another tax on people with disabilities and mocked our so-called progress in fighting inequity.

That’s why addressing this barrier to equality has been a priority of the Senate Human Services Committee. In our 2023 budget, we eliminated the $20,000 asset limitations for people in this program. In 2024, we built on our progress by streamlining premium reviews and simplifying procedures for enrollees. This is undeniable progress, but it is not enough.

There is bipartisan legislation and energy from advocates and legislators to break down the final barrier facing those enrolled in MA-EPD: the premium enrollees pay to stay healthy and keep their jobs. Sen. Erin Maye Quade has legislation to remove the costly barrier of paying MA-EPD premiums. It’s a bipartisan proposal co-authored by our ranking Republican committee member, Sen. Jim Abeler, the vice chair of our committee; Sen. Omar Fateh, and me. In 2025, the Legislature has the opportunity to pass Maye Quade’s legislation that promises Minnesotans with disabilities in MA-EPD will not have to sacrifice their independence in order to achieve professional success by eradicating excessive MA-EPD premiums. It is a top priority of mine to eliminate all barriers built into our system that continue to create health disparities for people living with disabilities, and MA-EPD premiums are one of those barriers that must reformed.

As we celebrate Disability Pride Month, let us renew our commitment to fighting for true equality and equity for all. Together, we can build a future where every Minnesotan, regardless of ability, has the opportunity to thrive.

John Hoffman, DFL-Champlin, is a member of the Minnesota Senate and chair of the Senate Human Services Committee.