JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH
SFX ENTERTAINMENT, INC. REGARDING DISABILITY RIGHTS MATTER

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department today filed a consent decree in federal court under which SFX Entertainment Inc. will adopt a new policy allowing patrons with diabetes to keep their medical supplies and food with them inside concerts. SFX owns, leases and/or operates more than one hundred concert venues in the United States.

Individuals with diabetes need to regularly monitor their blood sugar and must take insulin at specific times. They must eat food when necessary to avoid a condition of low blood sugar, as well as take insulin to avoid a high blood sugar level. Both conditions can pose serious danger to their health.

The consent decree, filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, resolves a lawsuit brought by the Justice Department in April 2002. The complaint alleged that SFX Entertainment Inc., which does business as Clear Channel Entertainment, violated the Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by establishing and enforcing a policy prohibiting individuals from keeping their diabetic supplies and food with them at concerts. The complaint further alleged that individuals with diabetes were forced by SFX’s policy to choose between being barred from concerts or taking unreasonable health risks.

“Today’s settlement ensures that people with diabetes can attend and enjoy performances like anyone else,” said Ralph F. Boyd, Jr., Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. “We are pleased that SFX has agreed to adopt this new policy.”

Under the terms of the settlement, SFX will implement a new policy allowing guests with diabetes to bring with them necessary medical supplies, food necessary for diabetic purposes, and provide training to employees who have responsibility for implementing elements of the new policy; and pay damages of $20,000. The new policy will also permit a guest to bring in and keep with them an EpiPen (a disposable drug delivery system for people with severe allergies).

Title III of the ADA prohibits public accommodations, such as concert venues, from discriminating against any individual on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of its goods, services or facilities. People interested in finding out more about the ADA or the agreement can call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD), or access its ADA website at www.ada.gov <http://www.ada.gov>.

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