FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CR
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1996 (202) 616-2765
TDD (202) 514-1888
TEXAS RECEIVES BUILDING CODE CERTIFICATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Builders in Texas who follow state
building codes can be assured that they are complying with
federal guidelines as well, now that the Justice Department has
certified Texas codes as being in compliance with the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Texas is only the second state in the nation to receive such
certification. Washington state codes were certified in March
1995.
"Everyone in the state of Texas - builders, architects,
business owners, and the general public - will benefit from
Texas' new accessibility standards," said Assistant Attorney
General for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick. "Certification makes
it easier to comply with the law."
Under the ADA's Standards for Accessible Design, newly
constructed or altered public and commercial facilities must be
built to be accessible to people with disabilities. States may
now apply for certification by the Justice Department if their
building codes are equivalent to the federal guidelines. Builders will benefit from this new process because it ensures
that construction which meets state codes meets the
requirements of the ADA. Builders will also have
additional legal protection in ADA lawsuits if they build in
compliance with the certified code.
Currently, the Department is reviewing requests for
certification from the states of New Mexico, Utah, Florida,
Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Maryland.
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96-477