Brief History of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
On July 26, 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law. As he lifted his pen, he declared: “Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down.”
According to the ADA National Network, the ADA is “a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public.”
As explained on ADA.gov: “To be protected by the ADA, one must have a disability, which is defined by the ADA as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. The ADA does not specifically name all of the impairments that are covered.”
This definition of disability deems disability as a medical issue intrinsic to an individual. However, the last part of the definition, which addresses perception, recognizes systemic barriers and discriminatory attitudes as part of and determinant of a person’s disability status.
Retrieved from: https://disabilityphilanthropy.org/resource/the-americans-with-disabilities-act-a-brief-background/
Read the full article here.
Brief Disability Legislation Timeline
1986 — The National Council on the Handicapped (National Council on Disability) proposes the first “comprehensive” equal opportunity law.
1990 — The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) becomes law on July 26, 1990.
1991 — Title I, II, III, and IV become law. Title I prohibits workplace discrimination; Title II secures access to services, programs, and activities provided by the state and local governments such as public schools; Title III requires public accommodations such as wheelchair ramps; Title IV provides telecommunications services for the hearing and speech-impaired.
1999-2002 — The Supreme Court narrows the definition of “disability,” excluding people who use “mitigating measures” such as medication.
2008 — The ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) becomes law and provides broad protection from discrimination for people with cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, and other conditions.
2010 — Rosa’s law passes changing “mental retardation” to “intellectual disability” in most journals.
2014 — Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act passes, allowing people with disabilities to set up tax-free savings account for essential services without losing government benefits.
2024 – Celebrate 34 years of the ADA
For a more complete timeline of the ADA click here.
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