Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez told members of a House subcommittee Thursday that his colleagues in the Justice Department Civil Rights Division are trying to quickly finish work on improvements to the 20-year-old Americans with Disabilities Act.
Thomas Perez (photo by Channing Turner / Main Justice)
Perez told members of the House Judiciary Constitution, civil rights and civil liberties subcommittee that the division has ramped up its efforts to finalize new regulations for two titles of the ADA, which became law on July 26, 1990. Title II concerns accessibility of public services, such as those provided by state and local governments. Title III deals with accessibility in public accommodations and commercial facilities.
“We are feverishly working on those and hope to complete them as soon as possible,” Perez said.
Perez said the DOJ is also seeking public comment on four proposed rules to create accessibility requirements for websites, movies, equipment and 911 call-taking technologies. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the proposed rules Wednesday.
The Justice Department has periodic reviews of ADA enforcement. Rules proposed for public comment by the George W. Bush administration in the summer of 2008 were put on hold when the Barack Obama administration came into office and paused all rule-making throughout the government
The Civil Rights Division chief has said in the past that the Justice Department believes Title III of the ADA — which requires some businesses to make accommodations for the disabled — applies to some technological innovations like the Internet that has emerged since the law came into effect in 1990.
“Technology should be the best friend of a person with disabilities,” Perez said.
Also on Thursday, the DOJ’s Disability Rights Section released new guidelines for hospitals and physicians on ensuring ADA compliance. The guidelines give suggestions for how to ensure doorways and exam rooms meet with accessibility requirements and encourages hospitals and doctor’s offices to train staff on how to properly provide assistance to people in wheelchairs.
Panel members lauded the ADA. But they agreed that work on disability rights isn’t done yet.
Subcommittee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said more must be done to help people living with disabilities in the 21st century.
“In the 20 years since the ADA’s passage, technology has revolutionized the way we work, learn, shop and socialize,” Nadler said. “While these advances ultimately may offer individuals with disabilities unprecedented access and opportunities, we have yet to see that full potential realized.”
