Accessibility
Accessibility is more than being able to enter a building.
- About the issue
- Why does this matter to people with disabilities?
- Are there any proposals that would make a change in this issue?
- Who can I contact with my questions?
- Background Information For This Issue
About the issue: (Top of page)
People with disabilities traditionally have had a lot of trouble being able to access public buildings and public sidewalks. With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1992 this aspect of accessibility was supposed to improve or go away. Public buildings now must have wheelchair ramps, easy to open doors, wider halls and doorways, brailed signs, accessible restrooms, etc. to ensure equal access for people with a variety of disabilities. Sidewalks need to have curb cuts for wheelchairs. Progress has been slow, but steady in this regard.
The ADA also addressed access for people with disabilities in other ways. It states that equal access has to be ensured in services, employment, education, communications, public housing, and public transportation. Employers now need to provide workplace accommodations for people who need them. This might mean specialized computer programs or keyboards, higher or wider desks, or interpreters for those who have hearing impairments.
Besides the ADA there are other laws or court decisions that ensure equal access. The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) ensures that elections are accessible to people with disabilities. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act ensures that people with disabilities are not discriminated against. The Olmstead Supreme Court decision ensures that people with disabilities do not have to live in institutions.
Why does this matter to people with disabilities? (Top of page)
Without access to the basics of society, you are not included or connected to society. In order for people with disabilities to fully participate in society, they must have equal access to all of the same things that non-disabled people often take for granted.
Of all of the minority groups in this country, people with disabilities continue to be the most unemployed or underemployed. They continue to live in institutions with little or no access to the community. People with disabilities often are not allowed to make decisions in their lives or live with the consequences of their decisions. They still lack equal access to the community which makes them more like second class citizens.
Are there any bills that would make a change in this issue? (Top of page)
- Assembly Bill 39 - Voter Registration
This bill allows municipalities to create satellite voting stations for absentee voting. The bill permits an elector to obtain and cast an absentee ballot at a satellite station. It also ensures that all satellite stations have accessible voting equipme [More on Assembly Bill 39 ]
Outcome: This bill did not make it out of committee by the end of the session. This matter will have to be addressed by the next legislature. - Assembly Bill 70 - Handgun Registration
This bill requires the Dept. of Justice, when conducting a background check on a possible handgun purchaser, to check whether the person is ineligible under federal law to possess a firearm based on the person's mental health status. [More on Assembly Bill 70 ]
Outcome: The Senate version of this bill passed both houses of the legislature. It was signed into law by Gov. Doyle on May 7, 2010. It became Act 258. - Assembly Bill 83 - Fishing Licenses
This bill allows a disabled veteran who has been determined to be "individually unemployable" to purchase an annual fishing license at a reduced fee. [More on Assembly Bill 83 ]
Outcome: This bill passed both houses of the legislature and was signed into law by Gov. Doyle on February 4, 2010. It became Act 109. - Assembly Bill 219 - Life Jackets
This bill would require all persons 12 years old and younger to wear a life jacket if they are on a moving boat that is 26 feet long or shorter. [More on Assembly Bill 219 ]
Outcome: This bill had a public hearing, was amended and passed the Assembly. It passed out of committee in the Senate but never had a floor vote before the session ended. This matter will have to be addressed by the next legislature. - Assembly Bill 228 - State Contracts to Disabled Vets
This bill sets up a system to award state contracts to certified businesses owned by disabled vets. [More on Assembly Bill 228 ]
Outcome: This bill passed both houses of the legislature. It was signed into law by Gov. Doyle on May 12, 2010. It became Act 299. - Assembly Bill 234 - Tax Credits for Hires
This bill gives income and franchise tax credits to employers who hire certain classes of people including people referred by Vocational Rehabilitation and someone participating in a program run by a local workforce development board. [More on Assembly Bill 234 ]
Outcome: This bill had a public hearing but did not pass out of committee before the end of the session. This matter will have to be addressed by the next legislature. - Assembly Bill 282 - Regional Transit Authorities
This bill creates regional transit authorities. These authorities may choose to coordinate services to people with disabilities and elderly but are not required to do so. [More on Assembly Bill 282 ]
Outcome: This bill had a public hearing and passed out of committee. It was amended many times on the floor of the Assembly but failed to pass the full Assembly before the session ended. This matter will have to be addressed by the next legislature. - Assembly Bill 284 - Disabled Parking ID Cards
This bill corrects oversights in a 2005 disabled parking law. It increases the penalty for selling a disabled parking card to an unauthorized user. It forbids the use of fake disabled parking cards. The bill also eliminates the loophole requirement that [More on Assembly Bill 284 ]
Outcome: This bill had a public hearing and passed out of committee but did not pass the Assembly before the session ended. This matter will have to be addressed by the next legislature. - Assembly Bill 285 - Gas Station Responsibility
This bill expands the current requirements of retailers of motor vehicle fuel. Under this bill they must provide an employee or other attendant to dispense motor vehicle fuel for a person with a disability using either self-service or full service pumps. [More on Assembly Bill 285 ]
Outcome: This bill had a public hearing and passed out of committee. It did not pass the Assembly before the session ended. This matter will have to be addressed by the next legislature. - Assembly Bill 342 - Disabled Hunting
This bill allows a person with a physical disability and who holds a hunting or fishing license to operate a lightweight utility vehicle on town and forest roads to travel to a hunting or fishing area. [More on Assembly Bill 342 ]
Outcome: This bill had a public hearing and passed put of committee as amended but failed to pass the full Assembly before the session ended. This matter will have to be addressed in the next session. - Assembly Bill 382 - Disabled Vet Fishing License
This bill expands who is eligible to receive a fishing license at a reduced fee to include disabled veterans. [More on Assembly Bill 382 ]
Outcome: This bill passed both houses of the legislature and was signed into law by Gov. Doyle on February 17, 2010. It became Act 132. - Assembly Bill 483 - Child Labor
This bill would allow a non-profit organization to employee a child 12 years of age and older to work in and around the homes of elderly and persons with disabilities to perform snow shoveling, leaf raking and similar work. [More on Assembly Bill 483 ]
Outcome: The Senate version of this bill was signed into law on Dec. 10, 2009 and became Act 92. - Assembly Bill 882 - Students with Disabilities
This bill relates to accessible instructional materials for students with disabilities enrolled in the University of Wisconsin System or the Technical College System. [More on Assembly Bill 882 ]
Outcome: This bill had a public hearing but did not pass out of committee before the session ended. This matter will have to be addressed by the next legislature. - Assembly Bill 885 - Wage Council
This bill creates a Wage Council that would examine wages in the state. The council would study and make recommendations to adjust the living wage. This bill could impact direct service workers and the wages they earn. [More on Assembly Bill 885 ]
Outcome: This bill had a public hearing and passed out of committee as amended. It was further amended on the floor of the Assembly but failed to pass the Assembly before the session ended. This matter will have to be addressed by the next legislature. - Senate Bill 19 - Sovereign Immunity Bill
This bill would make it possible for state employees to sue the state of WI for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other significant Federal Acts. [More on Senate Bill 19 ]
Outcome: This bill had a public hearing, passed out of committee and sent to the Joint Finance Committee where it stayed when the session ended. This matter will have to be addressed in the next session. - Senate Bill 20 - Fair Employment Act
This bill allows a person who has been discriminated against to bring an action in circuit court to recover damages caused by the act of discrimination. [More on Senate Bill 20 ]
Outcome: This bill passed both houses of the legislature and was signed into law by Gov. Doyle on June 8, 2010. It became Act 20. - Senate Bill 44 - Handgun Registration
This bill requires the Dept. of Justice, when conducting a background check on a possible handgun purchaser, to check whether the person is ineligible under federal law to possess a firearm based on the person's mental health status. [More on Senate Bill 44 ]
Outcome: This bill passed both houses of the legislature. It was signed into law on May 7, 2010 by Gov. Doyle. It became Act 258. - Senate Bill 205 - Regional Transit Authorities
This bill creates regional transit authorities. These authorities may choose to coordinate services to people with disabilities and elderly but are not required to do so. [More on Senate Bill 205 ]
Outcome: This bill had a public hearing but did not pass out of committee before the end of the session. This matter will have to be addressed by the next legislature. - Senate Bill 349 - Child Labor
This bill would allow a non-profit organization to employee a child 12 years of age and older to work in and around the homes of elderly and persons with disabilities to perform snow shoveling, leaf raking and similar work. [More on Senate Bill 349 ]
Outcome: This bill was signed into law by Gov. Doyle on Dec. 1, 2009 and became Act 92. - Senate Bill 389 - Sign Language Interpreters
This bill licenses sign language interpreters and creates two types of licenses: renewable and restricted. It also creates a state Sign Language Interpreter Council that would advise the state about interpreters. In addition, it would not allow an inter [More on Senate Bill 389 ]
Outcome: This bill passed both houses of the legislature. It was signed into law by Gov. Doyle on May 13, 2010. It became Act 360. - Senate Bill 490 - Disabled Registration Plates
This bill corrects and clarifies provisions for disabled parking plates for people with disabilities who lease their vehicle. [More on Senate Bill 490 ]
Outcome: This bill passed both houses of the legislature. It was signed into law by Gov. Doyle on May 5, 2010. It became Act 246. - Senate Bill 638 - Students with Disabilities
This bill relates to accessible instructional materials for students with disabilities enrolled in the University of Wisconsin System or the Technical College System. [More on Senate Bill 638 ]
Outcome: This bill had a public hearing and passed out of committee. It did not pass the Senate before the session ended. This matter will have to be addressed by the next legislature. - Senate Bill 652 - Disabled Parking
This bill increases penalties for various infractions related to ID cards providing parking privileges to persons with physical disabilities. [More on Senate Bill 652 ]
Outcome: This bill had a public hearing and passed out of committee but failed to pass the Senate by the end of the session. This matter will have to be addressed by the next legislature. - Senate Bill 679 - Gas Station Responsibility
This bill expands the current requirements of retailers of motor vehicle fuel. Under this bill they must provide an employee or other attendant to dispense motor vehicle fuel for a person with a disability using either self-service or full service pumps. [More on Senate Bill 679 ]
Outcome: This bill had a public hearing and passed out of committee but failed to pass the Senate by the end of the session. This matter will have to be addressed by the next legislature.
Who can I contact with my questions? (Top of page)
John Shaw
Wisconsin Council on Developmental Disabilities
201 W. Washington Avenue
Madison WI 53703-2796
Phone: Voice (608) 266-7707; TDD (608) 266-6660
Email: John1.Shaw@wisconsin.gov
Fax: (608) 267-3906
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