I just spoke with Elaine Hoff, Policy Advisor on Disability Rights Program Development for Ill. AG Jim Ryan, as a follow up to our 5/11 meeting with Ryan.

Ms. Hoff wanted to let us know that the National Assoc. of Attorneys General (NAAG) is meeting in Seattle this week and that Indiana's and Wisconsin's AGs will be approached about our request to have a mtg. w/ them and Jim Ryan about the Minn. AG's Garrett amicus brief. Ms. Hoff also informed me that Hawaii is preparing an amicus brief in support of Alabama's anti-ADA position in Garrett.

Ms. Hoff stated that Jim Ryan will be distributing a letter to the disability community at large to explain his position in the Stevens v. IDOT case and to explain how his office handles these cases in general.

Ms. Hoff also is interested in meeting with more members of the disability community to discuss what can be done in Illinois if the U.S. Supreme Court decides that states are immune from lawsuit under Titles I and/or II of the ADA.

Two options to consider are revising the Illinois Human Rights Act to include the same protections of the ADA, and exploring the possibility of Illinois waiving its 11th Amendment immunity to the ADA and allowing for Title I and II suits in Federal Court. She expressed her concern that we need to be organized and possibly have draft legislation ready to go if we lose in Garrett, since the Ill. Legislature will not be in session for very long after the expected date of a Supreme Court decision.

I asked Ms. Hoff about the pledge of support for the ADA which we asked Jim Ryan to sign and she said that it may be problematic for him to sign that exact pledge, since it refers to "full implementation" of the ADA. She will keep us posted on developments regarding the potential meeting with Indy's and Wisconsin's AGs.

Kevin Irvine