[Blind-rollers] new regs

[Becky Frankeberger]

Subject: Conference Call Regarding Justice Department's 2010 ADA Standards
for Accessible Design Going into Effect
	
 
Thursday, March 15, 2012
 	Hello:
Please join us Friday, March 16, at 11:00am Eastern for a conference call
with administration officials to discuss the below press release from the
Department of Justice.
.	Date: Friday, March 16 
.	Time: 11 a.m. EDT 
.	Dial in Information: (800) 230-1951 
.	Code: White House Disability Update 
This call is off the record and not for press purposes.
For deaf and hard of hearing participants, please access captioning at
http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1920699&CustomerID=321
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department announced that the 2010 ADA Standards
for Accessible Design go into effect today. On July 26, 2010, the 20th
anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), President Obama
announced newly revised ADA regulations.  These regulations reflect the
fundamental principle that all Americans with disabilities should have equal
access and an equal right to participate fully in our society.
"People with disabilities should have the opportunity to participate in
American society as fully and equally as those without disabilities," said
Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.
"The department encourages businesses and governments around the country to
help break down barriers for people with disabilities so that we give every
individual access to equal opportunity and equal justice."
These standards were adopted as part of the revised regulations for Title II
and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and will
make buildings and facilities accessible to more than 54 million Americans
with disabilities. The standards can be found at
www.ada.gov/2010ADAstandards_index.htm.
The 2010 Standards will set new requirements for fixed or built-in elements
in facilities such as detention facilities and courtrooms, amusement rides,
boating facilities, golf and miniature golf facilities, swimming pools and
play areas. These rules also clarify and refine issues that have arisen over
the past 20 years, including reach ranges, toilet room dimensions and
accessible routes. The 2010 Standards provide clarified requirements for
dispersal and lines of sight for accessible seating and companion seating in
assembly areas such as stadiums.  The 2010 Standards also address dispersion
of accessible hotel rooms among the different classes of rooms provided, as
well as the overlap between wheelchair accessible rooms and rooms with
communication features.
The final regulations were published in the Federal Register on Sept. 15,
2010.  The 2010 Standards, which were adopted as part of the revised
regulations, consist of regulatory text and the 2004 ADA Accessibility
Guidelines, originally published in the Federal Register as 36 CFR Part
1191, Appendices B and D.  
Title II of the ADA protects people with disabilities from discrimination on
the basis of disability in services, programs and activities provided by
state and local government entities.  
Title III prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by places of
public accommodation (businesses that are generally open to the public and
that fall into one of 12 categories listed in the ADA, such as restaurants,
movie theaters, schools, day care facilities, recreational facilities and
doctors' offices).
Newly constructed or altered places of public accommodation, commercial
facilities and state and local government facilities are required to comply
with the ADA Standards.  Places of public accommodation in existing
facilities are required to remove accessibility barriers to the extent it is
readily achievable - meaning easy to accomplish without much difficulty or
expense. State and local governments using existing facilities are required
to ensure their programs, services and activities, when viewed in their
entirety, are accessible.
Requirements for existing swimming pools will be extended for 60 days. The
department will also publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking with a 15-day
comment period on a possible six-month extension in order to allow
additional time to address misunderstandings regarding compliance with these
ADA requirements. More information on pool requirements can be found at
http://www.ada.gov/pools_2010.htm.
People interested in finding out more about the ADA or the 2010 ADA
Standards for Accessible Design can call the toll-free ADA Information Line
at 800-514-0301 (Voice) or 800-514-0383 (TTY), or access the ADA website at
www.ada.gov.