Subcommittee splits 6-2 to add playgrounds to public-accommodation list amid concerns about lists and enforcement
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
House Bill 1800 would add playgrounds to the statutory list of public accommodations; the subcommittee reported the bill 6-2 after debate about whether expanding a statutory list creates unintended legal limits on accessibility claims.
The subcommittee recommended reporting House Bill 1800 by a 6-2 recorded vote. The bill would explicitly add playgrounds to the statutory definition of public accommodations.
Sponsor Delegate Cohen said the change is intended to remove ambiguity when school systems or localities do not treat playgrounds as covered public accommodations, particularly for people with disabilities who need accessible play spaces.
The committee chair and several members cautioned that enumerating specific facilities in statute sometimes produces unintended consequences by encouraging arguments that lists are exhaustive; the chair described the tension between clarifying coverage for playgrounds and avoiding a narrower interpretation of "public accommodation." Delegate Coiner and others argued that families often lack the resources to pursue enforcement and that explicit statutory direction can help.
Supporters included Terri Morgan of the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities and an online commenter, Alex Sprague, who described accessibility needs including invisible disabilities and ambulatory users. Morgan said families often do not know the path for remedy and welcomed clearer statutory language.
After hearing testimony, the clerk recorded the subcommittee’s recommendation to report the bill by a 6-2 roll call.