Posted on September 24, 2026
Yesterday, September 23, 2026, the judge in Texas v. Kennedy issued his final ruling and closed the case. The judge granted the parties' proposed order which vacates the specific integration-related provisions of the Section 504 Rule from 2024. Put simply, the 2024 Rule will no longer contain references to the integration mandate. To be clear, this ruling does not abolish the integration mandate or invalidate the Supreme Court's ruling in the case Olmstead v. LC. The integration mandate still exists. However, the rules that bolster and clarify that mandate have just been weakened at the joint request of the federal government and the remaining states in the lawsuit.
ACB is deeply disappointed in this outcome. The sections of the rule being vacated had helped clarify that health and social services should support people with disabilities in community settings when appropriate. The loss of the integration provisions in the 2024 Rule is a serious blow. However, it is important to remember that Olmstead, Section 504, and the Americans with Disabilities Act are still the law of the land. Although this is a significant setback, ACB will continue to advocate for disability rights, including the rights of disabled people to receive care in their communities.
The final judgement can be found here: https://www.aapd.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/125._Order_and_Final_Judgment.pdf
The statement released by AAPD can be found here: https://www.aapd.com/aapd-statement-on-ruling-vacating-community-integration-provisions-in-2024-section-504-rule/