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The Supreme Court ruled in a narrow 5-4 decision in a victory for disabled rights advocates that international cruise lines sailing in U.S. waters must provide better access for passengers in wheelchairs, expanding the scope of a landmark federal disabilities law.
Justices said that Congress intended the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act to apply to cruise lines, but the ruling is still unclear on how much the $2.5 billion foreign cruise industry will actually have to reconfigure pools, restaurants and emergency equipment for wheelchair accessibility.
The changes could cost the industry millions, and two-thirds of the cruise industry has American passengers. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the majority, and said cruise lines need not comply with the ADA to the extent it creates too much international discord or disruption of internal affairs, under a provision of the statute that calls only for “readily achievable” modifications.
Disabled rights advocates had claimed inadequate ship facilities inhibited their right to “participate fully in society”.
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