H.R. 9401

Latonya Reeves Freedom Act of 2026

Sponsor: Steve Cohen

82 cosponsors
Follow this bill

Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

Latonya Reeves Freedom Act of 2026

This bill prohibits government entities and insurance providers from denying community-based services to individuals with disabilities that require long-term service or support that would enable such individuals to live in the community and lead an independent life.

Specifically, these entities may not discriminate against such individuals in the provision of community-based services by such actions as imposing prohibited eligibility criteria, cost caps, or waiting lists or failing to provide a specific community-based service. Additionally, community-based services must be offered to individuals with such disabilities prior to institutionalization. Institutionalized individuals must be notified regularly of community-based alternatives.

The bill requires the Department of Justice to issue regulations requiring government entities and insurance providers to offer community-based long-term services to individuals with such disabilities who would otherwise qualify for institutional placement. Government entities must ensure sufficient availability of affordable, accessible, and integrated housing that is not a disability-specific residential setting or a setting where services are tied to tenancy.

Regulations shall also (1) require government entities and insurance providers to perform self-evaluation on current services, policies, and practices and concerning compliance with requirements of this bill; and (2) require government entities to submit a transition plan.

The bill allows civil actions by individuals subjected to, or about to be subjected to, a violation of its requirements.

Text of the bill

Expand all
Sec. 5. Administration

(a) Authority and responsibility

(1) Department of Justice. The Attorney General shall investigate and take enforcement action for violations of this Act.

(2) Department of Health and Human Services. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Administrator, shall—

(A) review, and approve or disapprove, transition plans submitted by public entities, under section 6(b)(10);

(B) establish a task force to identify socio-demographic, geographic, and other factors that are barriers that prevent individuals with LTSS disabilities from receiving community-based long-term services and supports or from being able to choose alternatives in the community to institutionalization and identify other disparities in the availability and provision of community-based long-term services and supports, which task force shall be responsible for—

(i) overseeing studies regarding the nature and extent of those barriers and disparities and the impact that those barriers and disparities have on the institutionalization of individuals with LTSS disabilities; and

(ii) submitting to Congress not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act a report on the nature and extent of those barriers and disparities, including a description of legislative or executive action to address the barriers and disparities; and

(C) refer information on violations of this Act to the Attorney General for investigation and enforcement action under this Act.

(b) Cooperation of executive departments and agencies. Each Federal agency and, in particular, each Federal agency covered by Executive Order 13217 (66 Fed. Reg. 33155; relating to community-based alternatives for individuals with disabilities), shall carry out programs and activities relating to the institutionalization of individuals with LTSS disabilities and the provision of community-based long-term services and supports for individuals with LTSS disabilities in accordance with this Act and shall cooperate with the Attorney General and the Administrator to further the purposes of this Act.