Opinion ID: 4439289
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Repeal and Replacement as Settling the

Text: Controversy Regarding the Old Policy “A case becomes moot . . . ‘when the issues presented are no longer “live” or the parties lack a legally cognizable interest in the outcome.’” Rosebrock v. Mathis, 745 F.3d 963, 971 (9th Cir. 2014) (quoting Already, LLC v. Nike, Inc., 568 U.S. 85, 89 (2013)). Where the challenged conduct “has been ‘sufficiently altered so as to present a substantially different controversy . . . [,] there is ‘no basis for concluding that the challenged conduct [is] being repeated.’” Chem. Producers & Distribs. Ass’n v. Helliker, 463 F.3d 871, 875 (9th Cir. 2006) (third alteration in original) (quoting Ne. Fla. Chapter of Associated Gen. Contractors of Am. v. City of Jacksonville, 508 U.S. 656, 662 n.3 (1993)). The Association, citing Northeastern Florida, argues the New Policy continues to discriminate against persons with diabetes and thus does not moot the Association’s claims under the Old Policy. There, however, the new city ordinance continued the challenged practice “by another 10 AMERICAN DIABETES ASS’N V. U.S. DEP’T OF ARMY name” and thus “disadvantage[d] [the plaintiff] in the same fundamental way.” 508 U.S. at 662. Here, by contrast, the Association alleges the Old Policy harmed it by placing a blanket prohibition on care, whereas the New Policy allegedly harms the Association by instituting a burdensome approval process. As it is undisputed that the New Policy repealed the blanket prohibition and specifically lists the subject accommodations as reasonable, the policy “has been ‘sufficiently altered so as to present a substantially different controversy.’” Helliker, 463 F.3d at 875 (quoting Ne. Fla. Chapter of Associated Gen. Contractors of Am., 508 U.S. at 662 n.3); see Outdoor Media Grp., Inc. v. City of Beaumont, 506 F.3d 895, 901 (9th Cir. 2007) (holding claims for injunctive and declaratory relief moot where “the constitutional deficiencies . . . alleged in connection with the original sign ordinance” had been cured).