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THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1991                              202-514-2007
                                                TDD  202-514-1888
    ATTORNEY GENERAL PUBLISHES FINAL REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTING
               THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
     Attorney General Dick Thornburgh today announced that final
regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 (ADA) will be published in the Federal Register tomorrow,
exactly one year after President Bush signed the ADA into law.
     The two sets of regulations, which become effective on January
26, 1992, are designed to provide over 43 million individuals with
disabilities access to public accommodations and State and local
governments.   
     "Establishing and protecting the civil rights of individuals
with disabilities is one of our top priorities at the Department of
Justice," said Thornburgh. 
     "By publishing these new regulations on time, the Bush
Administration has once again demonstrated its commitment to the
civil rights of persons with disabilities.  Our prompt publication
preserves the full six-month adjustment period provided by the ADA
to allow business and government to familiarize themselves with the
new requirements and to bring their operations into compliance."
     The Department's ADA title III regulation covers over five
million places of public accommodation including restaurants,
theaters, hotels, retail stores, convention centers, and
recreational facilities.
     It establishes requirements for accessible new construction
and alterations, removal of barriers in existing facilities, the
provision of auxiliary aids for individuals with vision, speech, or
hearing impairments, and the use of nondiscriminatory requirements,
policies, and procedures.
     "The goal of the ADA and of our regulations is to open the
mainstream of American life to individuals with disabilities.  The
rules carefully maintain the crucial balance sought by this
Administration between ensuring the rights of individuals with
disabilities and protecting the legitimate needs of business," said
Thornburgh.
     The Department's title II public sector regulation covers the
programs, activities, and services of state and local government. 
It would require, for example, that government functions, such as
town meetings and court sessions, be conducted in accessible
facilities and that interpreters be provided to ensure that
individuals with hearing impairments have an equal opportunity to
participate.
     "Individuals with disabilities have made great strides in
public sector participation and employment thanks to earlier laws. 
The ADA closes the gaps in those laws to ensure that the full range
of state and local government activity is made accessible,"
continued Thornburgh.
     The regulations issued today are the product of a public
rulemaking effort that began with the publication of draft
regulations in February.  A series of four public hearings was held
around the country, and more than 2500 written comments were
received and analyzed.  
     "The level and diversity of public involvement in developing
these regulations have been extraordinary," said Thornburgh.  
     "We hope to tap this interest and energy in the Department's
technical assistance program.  We will move to bring individuals
with disabilities together with business and government to promote
widespread compliance with the ADA while keeping costly litigation
at a minimum." 
     Earlier this summer, the Attorney General announced the
creation of a $2.5 million technical assistance grant program to
fund projects that will inform the private sector, state and local
governments, and individuals with disabilities about their rights
and responsibilities under the ADA.
     Two other Federal agencies -- the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) -
- are issuing regulations on the anniversary of the bill's signing
that implement the ADA.  The EEOC is issuing rules prohibiting
discrimination on the basis of disability in employment under title
I of the ADA, and the FCC is establishing standards under title IV
of the ADA for telephone relay services for use by individuals with
hearing or speech impairments.  In addition, the Architectural and
Transportation Barriers Compliance Board is issuing its ADA
Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities.  These
guidelines are incorporated into the Department of Justice's Title
III rule and provide standards for accessible design.  
     The Attorney General will mark the anniversary of the
President's signing of the ADA with a ceremony in the Great Hall of
the Department of Justice.  Over 400 persons who participated in
the development of Federal rules implementing the ADA, including
representatives from disability rights groups, the business
community, Congress, and Federal agencies, have been invited to
attend the commemoration.  In addition, they will witness the
dedication of alterations to the Great Hall, making that facility
more accessible to persons with mobility impairments.

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