NEW ALTERNATIVE ANPRM COMMENT PROCESS AVAILABLE (new May 16)
As described in its Announcement of Alternative ADA ANPRM Comment Process, as of Monday, May 16, 2005, the Department permits commenters who wish to restrict access to their identity to send their comments to a special new mailing or electronic address. At this address, commenters’ business and personal names and addresses will be removed before their comments enter the comment processing system. Comments must initially include the sender’s name and address and must follow all of the instructions set forth in the announcement.
New: DOJ Extends Public Comment Period Until May 31, 2005
Important Notice Issued January 19, 2005: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in State and Local Government Services; Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability by Public Accommodations and in Commercial Facilities (HTML) | Acrobat PDF format
Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to amend 28 CFR Part 35: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in State and Local Government Services and 28 CFR Part 36: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability by Public Accommodations and in Commercial Facilities (HTML) | Acrobat PDF format
Appendix A -- Proposed Framework for the Regulatory Analysis
The Department of Justice has published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to begin the process of revising the Department's ADA regulations to adopt design standards that are consistent with the revised ADA Accessibility Guidelines published by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (also known as the Access Board) on July 23, 2004. The ADA requires the Department to publish regulations that include accessibility standards that are consistent with the Access Board's guidelines. Until the Department's rulemaking is complete, the revised ADA Guidelines are effective only as guidance to the Department (and to the Department of Transportation). The revised guidelines have no legal effect on the public.
The ANPRM is the first of three steps in the regulatory process. The ANPRM will be followed by notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and a final rule. The Department published the ANPRM to solicit public comment on several issues relating to the potential application of the revised guidelines and to obtain background information needed for the regulatory impact analysis (a report analyzing the economic costs and benefits of a regulatory action) that will accompany the proposed and final rules.
Members of the public may submit comments until May 31, 2005. Comments may be submitted electronically to www.adaanprm.org or www.regulations.gov or by mail to P.O. Box 1032, Merrifield, VA 22116-1032. All comments will be available to the public online at www.adaanprm.org and, by appointment, at the offices of the Disability Rights Section.