(Hospitality Update, No. 1, March 2011)
On July 26, 1990, President George
H. W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA). The ADA provided broad anti-discrimination prohibitions
against disabled individuals in several areas, including
employment, state and local government services and facilities,
public accommodations, and telecommunications.
Title III of the ADA contained
proscriptions in the public accommodations area, which refer to
establishments that cater to the public, such as hotels, motels and
restaurants. To implement them, the Department of Justice (DOJ)
issued regulations and adopted architectural standards issued by
the Federal Access Board. These guidelines, called the ADA
Accessibility Guidelines or ADAAG, took effect in 1991, imposing
stricter standards for alterations begun after January 26, 1992 and
new construction concluded in 1993 and later.
