What’s On Tap For Accessibility Regulations In 2009

On May 11, 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice issued its semiannual regulatory agenda, in which the Department announced that it anticipates issuing final rules to amend its regulations implementing Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and to adopt revised ADA Standards for Accessible Design in September 2009. To the extent that the proposed effective date for the revised ADA Standards remains the same – six months from publication of the final rule – the revised standards will take effect in approximately March 2010. The Department has proposed to adopt as its ADA Standards the revised ADA Accessibility Guidelines issued by the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board in July 2004. The rulemakings also address several additional issues, including, but not limited to, the extent to which existing facilities must comply with the revised ADA Standards, clarification of the definition of "service animal," use of