H.R. 8736House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act

Introduced May 12, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated May 13, 2026 at 9:12 AM UTC

The Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act amends the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to give young adults with disabilities more freedom to choose employment, including jobs that pay a subminimum wage. It expands eligibility to people 18 and older and adds new rules about counseling and documentation, affecting both the individuals seeking work and the employers who hire them.

Key Provisions

  • Changes the law to allow any eligible individual, rather than prohibiting, to accept subminimum‑wage employment.
  • Expands the age range for eligibility from "24 or younger" to "18 or older" (and adjusts a related age reference from 24 to 17).
  • Adds a new paragraph stating that the individual can choose to accept employment with the hiring entity.
  • Creates an exception allowing an employer to meet counseling requirements if the state counseling unit fails to provide services after documented attempts.
  • Requires that, when documentation is made, copies be provided to the employer if the individual is already employed by that entity.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

3 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 15.

May 21, 2026

View full timeline
HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

May 12, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

May 12, 2026

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

May 21, 2026

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 15.

May 21, 2026

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode
Latest
Introduced in HouseIssued May 12, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 8736

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 12, 2026

Mr. Grothman (for himself, Mrs. Wagner, and Mr. Owens) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

A BILL

To amend the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure workplace choice and opportunity for young adults with disabilities.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act.

2.

Use of subminimum wage

Section 511 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794g) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—

(i)

by striking No and inserting Any;

(ii)

by striking 24 or younger and inserting 18 or older; and

(iii)

by striking unless and inserting if; and

(B)

by inserting at the end the following new paragraph:

(3)

The individual chooses to accept employment with such entity.

;

(2)

in subsection (b)(2), by striking 24 and inserting 17;

(3)

in subsection (c), by inserting at the end the following new paragraph:

(4)

Other exceptions

The entity described in subsection (a) can satisfy the requirements of paragraph (1)(A) with respect to an individual, if—

(A)

such entity makes documented efforts, at the intervals described in paragraph (2), to contact on behalf of the individual, the designated State unit for the counseling, information, and referrals described in paragraph (1)(A); and

(B)

such designated State unit fails to provide such counseling, information, and referrals after such documented efforts.

; and

(4)

in subsection (d)(1), by inserting before the period at the end the following: and, if such individual is employed by an entity described in subsection (a) at the time such documentation is made pursuant to such process, to make available copies of such documentation to the entity.

3.

Application

The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to the employment of an individual on or after the date of enactment of this Act.