The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26,1990, and became effective January 26, 1992. This is a landmark legislation to extend civil rights protection to people with disabilities. The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government services, public transportation, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and telecommunications. The ADA required the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) to supplement its Minimum Guidelines and Requirements for Accessible Design to serve as the basis for regulations to be issued by the Department of Justice and the Department of Transportation under Title II. On July 26, 1991, the Access Board published its ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Building and Facilities (ADAAG).

The ADA essentially prohibits the exclusion of persons with disabilities from jobs, programs, services, activities, or benefits. To that end, the ADA's five sections, or titles, cover employment, state and local government and transportation, public accommodation, telecommunication, and miscellaneous provisions.

Local governments must comply with Title I and 11 of the ADA. Title I deals with all aspects of employment, and Title 11 specifically covers programs and services, and activities of any state or local government. The City is in compliance with Title I and is in the process of complying with Title 11.

Overview

On July 26, 1990, President George Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Act will protect the right of individuals with disabilities from discrimination in employment, services, activities, transportation, public accommodation of state and local government and telecommunications: giving the protection which is comparable to that afforded other groups on the basis of race, sex, national origin, age and religion.

The Act consists of the five following sections:

• Title I Employment
• Title 11 Public Services
  1. Subtitle A: General Prohibitions
  2. Subtitle B: Public Transportation
• Title III Public Accommodation and Services
• Title IV Telecommunication
• Title V Miscellaneous Provisions

The City of Baton Rouge is primarily affected by the provisions found in the first three sections. The effective date for compliance with most of the provisions of the Act was January 25, 1992. All areas of compliance is to be completed by January 26, 1995.