Americans with Disabilities Act History 1990 - 2000

This is the text-only version of this document. The full version, with photographs, is available for download [315KB PDF].

ADA: The First Decade 1990 - 2000

2000

National Spirit of ADA celebration and torch relay commemorate decade; appeals court upholds Casey Martin's right to use a golf cart to accommodate his disability; Access Board holds public meetings on proposed revision of federal accessibility guidelines; DOJ settles lawsuit with Duke University over access; ABA publishes special edition of its human rights magazine focusing on ADA

Texas Houston kicks off torch relay; Bush Library displays torch; City of Houston settles ADA lawsuit over treatment of people who are deaf and hard of hearing and who are under arrest; DIR approves regulations for access on state agency websites

1999

National Supreme Court rules on five cases regarding the ADA, covering issues such as the definition of disability and the provision of government services in the most integrated setting; Chevron, Days Inn, Greyhound, and two standardized testing agencies increase accessibility as a result of DOJ settlements; federal court allows young soccer player with cerebral palsy to play using a padded walker; World Wide Web Consortium publishes Web Accessibility Guidelines

Texas Legislature requires state agency websites to be accessible; Governor George W. Bush establishes process to address community-based services in response to the Supreme Court's Olmstead decision; DOT recognizes Austin for ADA implementation; new state law requires that new elections systems enable people with disabilities to cast a secret ballot; state court requires new religious buildings to be more accessible; TCB successfully mediates ADA dispute with DOJ; Relay Texas handles 4.6 million calls

1998

National Supreme Court rules on two ADA cases, covering issues such as access in correctional institutions and HIV infection; federal court requires PGA to allow Casey Martin to use golf cart due to disability; Mitsubishi pays $3 million to 87 individuals following ADA employment settlement; Wendy's agrees to increase accessibility in its 1,700 restaurants

Texas San Antonio's VIA bus system becomes more accessible as a result of negotiated settlement; George Bush Presidential Library and Museum opens with exhibit on the ADA; federal court orders Cinemark to retrofit 18 inaccessible theatres; State Preservation Board incorporates captioning and audio description in planning for new state history museum; Relay Texas handles 4.4 million calls

1997

National Deadline for paratransit compliance; Disney provides captioning as a result of ADA lawsuit; EEOC issues guidelines on psychiatric disabilities; individuals who are deaf can serve on jury as a result of DOJ settlement in Mississippi; court rules that architects are liable for accessible design under the ADA; La Petite Academy agrees to accommodate children with allergies, diabetes and other disabilities; Harris Poll reveals that 87% of Americans support ADA

Texas TGCPD reports first data about state employees with disabilities and ADA implementation in school districts; legislature adopts voucher program for telecommunication devices and requires increase in access of state leased facilities; 5th Circuit requires access for service animals on Spoetzl Brewery tours; Relay Texas handles 4.3 million calls

1996

National DOJ and Olympic Committee improve accessibility at Atlanta stadium; employment of people with severe disabilities increases 3% since 1991; DOJ settles complaints against Avis, Cineplex Odeon, Courtyard by Marriott, and Comfort Inn; 96% of people with disabilities surveyed by UCP report that ADA has made a difference in their lives; new law requires White House and executive offices to comply with ADA

Texas DOJ certifies the TAS as ADA equivalent; TGCPD reports on ADA compliance in colleges; Governor's Office trains employees on ADA; the Capitol, Governor's Mansion, state buildings, and state parks increase accessibility; number of accessible buses in Texas cities increases to 52%; court requires El Paso County to make polling places accessible and insure secret ballots; courts require three companies in Texas to pay a total of $130,000 due to employment discrimination; Relay Texas handles 4 million calls

1995

National Necessary access renovations in government facilities must be complete; Amtrak must provide one accessible car per train; DOJ settles 350 ADA lawsuits since 1990; federal appeals court rules that the ADA defines unnecessary segregation as a form of illegal discrimination; new law requires Congress to comply with ADA; Dollar Rent A Car, Safeway, and the City of Fort Lauderdale increase accessibility as a result of DOJ settlements

State THC's Main Street program assists in increasing accessibility of 135 historic structures; TGCPD distributes ADA information to 20,400 individuals; TDLR assesses first monetary penalties for inaccessibility under Texas law; 41% of public transportation is ADA compliant; TGCPD, with two mayor's committees, host NCD ADA town meeting; TxDOT installs over 52,000 curb cuts; U.S. Conference of Mayors recognizes the City of Austin for ADA implementation; Relay Texas handles 3.5 million calls

1994

National Businesses with more than 15 employees must comply with employment provisions; GAO finds 7% increase in government and business accessibility since implementation; Empire State Building increases accessibility after settlement of Title III complaint

Texas Houston dental office agrees to pay $100,000 for refusing treatment to a man with HIV; TGCPD establishes Texas BLN to promote ADA compliance in private sector, and provides ADA information to 2,500 minority owned businesses; TDLR adopts new TAS; Dallas Hyatt Regency increases access following DOJ settlement; Relay Texas handles 2.9 million calls

1993

National Effective date in July for compliance with communications provisions; jury awards executive with brain cancer $500,000 due to wrongful discharge; NCD reports that ADA is not unduly burdensome to business; Illinois becomes first state to install TDD/TTY service at highway rest stops

Texas Austin's Capital Metro equips all buses with wheelchair lifts; TGCPD presents ADA seminars to 53 groups with 5,825 people; Relay Texas handles 2.5 million calls

1992

National Effective dates in July for compliance with ADA Titles I, II, and III; EEOC files first suit on behalf of executive with brain cancer who was fired; EEOC receives 248 ADA charges in first month; Court rules that Little League cannot restrict a coach who uses a wheelchair from going on the field; ABA hosts mock ADA trial; survey finds that 75% of businesses are preparing for compliance with employment provisions; UCP gives American business a "B" on Title III compliance; one of the first Title III cases alleges inaccessibility of Empire State Building

Texas TGCPD develops self-evaluation guide and distributes 25,000 copies; TGCPD trains 800 employees of 115 state agencies and joins with TEC to train 5,000 employers about ADA; TGCPD trains over 6,000 lottery ticket sellers; Relay Texas handles 1.9 million calls

1991

National Federal government adopts regulations for ADA Titles I, II, III, and IV; 6,000 attend largest ever President's Committee meeting in Dallas sponsored by TGCPD and Dallas Mayor's Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities

Texas SWDBTAC begins in Houston; legislature requires lottery ticket sales locations to comply with ADA; legislature moves TGCPD into Governor's Office and charges it with promoting ADA implementation; "ADA Texas", a project of TRC and TGCPD, trains 723 trainers in 24 sessions; Relay Texas handles 1.2 million calls

1990

National Justin W. Dart Jr. reports results of 50-state tour involving 30,000 people to document discrimination; House and Senate pass ADA; President Bush signs ADA before a record crowd of 3,000; accessibility requirement for new buses and rail cars

Texas At least 12 Texans attend ADA signing; CTD holds Texas signing celebrations; Relay Texas begins; ADA Texas forms to train trainers using one of the first ADA training manuals

Photo #1 Cutline: Former President Bush presented Yoshiko Dart with the George Bush Medal on February 24, 2000 in Houston. Yoshiko accepted on behalf of her husband, Justin W. Dart, Jr., a long time disability rights advocate. President Bush is holding Justin's famous and well-worn hat. Justin chaired the Governor's Committee during the 1980s.

Photo #2 Cutline: President George Bush signed the ADA on July 26, 1990 at the largest bill signing ceremony ever held on the White House lawn. In July of 1998, the Governor's Committee held an ADA celebration at the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station. A commemorative version of the ADA signing photograph with the library seal and presidential signature is available for purchase from the Library.

Abbreviation Key:

ABA - American Bar Association
ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act
CTD - Coalition of Texans with Disabilities
BLN - Business Leaders Network
DIR- Department of Information Resources
DOJ - Department of Justice
DOT - Department of Transportation
EEOC - Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
GAO - General Accounting Office
HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus
NCD - National Council on Disabilities
SWDBTAC - Southwest Disability Business Technical Assistance Center
TAS - Texas Accessibility Standards
TCB - Texas Commission for the Blind
TEC - Texas Employment Commission (now Texas Workforce Commission)
TDLR - Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
TDD - Telecommunications Device for the Deaf
TGCPD - Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities
THC - Texas Historical Commission
TTY - Text Telephone/Teletypewriter
TxDOT - Texas Department of Transportation
UCP- United Cerebral Palsy

Graphic note:
The TGCPD logo is shown on the front of the document.

Prepared with assistance of Andrew Tadross, Governor's Office Fellow