On September 23, 2026, a federal court in Texas entered a final judgement in Texas v. Kennedy, a lawsuit brought by Texas and multiple other states challenging the 2024 HHS update to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Those states argued that HHS exceeded its statutory authority by imposing an “integration mandate.” Section 504 protects people with disabilities from discrimination under any federally funded program or activity.
The judgment is an agreement between the Department of Justice/Department of Health and Human Services and the states remaining in the case (Texas, Florida, Alaska, Louisiana, and Montana). The agreement removes all federal guidance and references to the “integration mandate” from the 2024 Section 504 Rule. The decision applies nationwide, not just to the states that were part of the lawsuit.
Since this decision occurred at the district court level, existing protections for disability rights are still in place – Section 504, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Supreme Court’s 1999 Olmstead v. L.C. decision remain law. People with disabilities continue to have the right to receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs and cannot be unnecessarily segregated in institutions.
Family Voices’ history of advocating for HCBS and children and youth with special health care needs makes this issue uniquely connected to our mission and values. Read Family Voices National’s statement supporting the mandate and funding for home- and community-based services (HCBS) and family-centered care.
