DOJ Needs Your Comments on Proposed ADA Updates

On July 26, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued four advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRMs) calling for public comments about proposed updates to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which would affect the rules for websites, movie theatres, 9-1-1 services, and equipment/furniture manufacturers. The DOJ uses ANPRMs to announce rules that it plans to change and seek input from the public to help shape the new regulations. The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) urges the deaf and hard of hearing community to tell the DOJ what our community needs in each of these four ANPRMs, you can help to update the ADA and ensure a more accessible future.

The NAD helped to pass the ADA twenty years ago. Our efforts to educate the public, advocate on Capitol Hill, and pursue carefully chosen lawsuits have helped to ensure that the ADA is regularly updated and enforced. In 2008, we helped to pass the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) which updated and clarified parts of the ADA.

The ADA is one of our most powerful tools in the fight for equality in all areas of life. However, accessibility is not static. As the needs of our community constantly change with technology, the ADA must change also. As DOJ Attorney General Holder noted, technology is constantly moving forward and, “just as these quantum leaps can help all of us, they can also set us back-- if regulations are not updated or if compliance codes become too confusing to implement.” ADA updates ensure that the law remains relevant and powerful, protecting us in all areas of our lives. It is our privilege and duty to provide input on such updates in order to ensure that they continue to break down barriers for the deaf and hard of hearing community.

The four DOJ ANPRMs each ask for comments on a different issue. We encourage you to answer as many of them as possible. They would like to hear from you about how to improve access to:

• Websites: The DOJ recognizes that many organizations, both public and private, now use the internet to perform important functions which need to be accessible to deaf and hard of hearing people. Tell them what rules would make websites more accessible to you (mention Internet video captioning!).
• 9-1-1- Centers: 9-1-1 centers are considering using Internet technology to take 9-1-1 calls not only by voice, but also by text or video. The DOJ would like advice on making 9-1-1 services directly available to deaf and hard of hearing people.
• Movie Theaters: Many movie studios produce captioned versions of their films and captioning technologies are available for theaters to install. However, it is still difficult for most deaf and hard of hearing people to walk into a movie theater and have access to captioned entertainment. The DOJ would like to know what would make movie theaters more accessible.
• Equipment and Furniture: The DOJ is interested in making new rules to ensure that equipment/furniture is built such that all people can make use of it.

Each of these four topics affects the way that deaf and hard of hearing people access their communities, and each is important to moving us forward. The NAD applauds the DOJ for giving us the opportunity to help shape the rules which affect deaf and hard of hearing people every day. Please take the time to thank the DOJ for their hard work and admirable effort, as well as to provide input on the four questions presented above. The NAD will produce vlogs to explain the DOJ ANPRMs and the NAD position on each. The NAD will also directly provide comments to the DOJ ANPRMs and share them on our website. Twenty years after the passage of the ADA, we can help the DOJ renew its spirit and strengthen its powers for the next twenty years -- and beyond!