AUG 20 1993 The Honorable Bill Paxon U.S. House of Representatives 1314 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Congressman Paxon: This letter is in response to your inquiry on behalf of your constituent, xxxxxxxx who has requested some guidance concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"). Xx xxxxxxxxx request concerns statements found in the ADA Handbook regarding comments received by the Department of Justice during the rulemaking period for titles II and III of the ADA. The ADA authorizes this Department to provide technical assistance to individuals and entities that have rights or responsibilities under the ADA. Therefore, this letter provides informal guidance to assist you in responding to xxxxxxxxxxx. However, this technical assistance does not constitute a legal interpretation, and it is not binding on the Department of Justice. Xxxxxxxxxx first question refers to a statement in the ADA Handbook, at page II - 3, that an organization representing persons with hearing impairments "presented the Department with 479 individual comments, each providing in chart form a detailed representation of what type of auxiliary aid or service would be useful in the various categories of places of public accommodation." Xxxxxxxxxxxx asked what specific recommendations were made. Given the number of comments received by the Department, it is not possible to summarize the recommendations that were made by those individuals. However, xxxxxxxxxxxx attention is directed to the preamble of the title III regulation that discusses the obligation of a place of public accommodation to provide auxiliary aids and services and many of the recommendations that the Department received regarding that cc: Records, Chrono, Wodatch, Breen, Delaney, McDowney, MAF, FOIA udd\delaney\congress\paxon 01-02533 -2- obligation. For a fuller discussion of auxiliary aids and services, please refer to 28 C.F.R. S 36.303 of the title III regulation (copy enclosed) and the discussion in the preamble that can be found at 56 Fed. Reg. 35,565-35,568. Xxxxxxxxxxxxx second question refers to a statement in the ADA Handbook, at page II - 21, concerning the comments received by the Department urging that environmental illness (also known as multiple chemical sensitivity) be recognized as a disability under the ADA. As the ADA Handbook explains, the Department declined to make such a categorical determination. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx has asked whether multiple chemical sensitivity can be substantiated. As promulgated, the title II and III regulations require that a case-by-case determination be made as to whether a particular allergy, illness, or chemical sensitivity constitutes a disability within the meaning of the ADA. This analysis is the same as that applied for all other physical or mental impairments. For a fuller discussion of the issue of what constitutes a disability under the ADA, please refer to 28 C.F.R. S 36.104 of the title III regulation and the discussion in the preamble that can be found at 56 Fed. Reg. 35,548-35,550. I hope this information is helpful in responding to your constituent. Sincerely, Brian K. Landsberg Acting Assistant Attorney General Civil Rights Division Enclosure: 01-02534 Congress of the United States House of Representatives Bill Paxon 27th District, New York June 29, 1993 Mr. Thomas Reinehardt Director of Congressional Relations U.S. Department of Justice Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, NW Washington, D.C. 20535 Dear Mr. Reinehardt: I am writing on the behalf of one of my constituents, xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx, and in reference to his questions regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act Handbook. I am hopeful that you and your staff can assist me in answering his questions. Xxxxxxxxx contacted my office with the two following specific questions about Title II - Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Public Facilities: 1.) ADA Handbook, page II - 3, paragraph 3 (enclosure). Hearing impaired individuals provided comments on which auxiliary aid or service would be useful in various public accommodations. What specific recommendations were made? 2.) ADA Handbook, page II - 21, paragraph 3 (enclosure). In reference to multiple chemical sensitivity - under Department of Justice guidelines, can multiple chemical sensitivity be substantiated? I would appreciate any assistance or information that you may be able to provide to me that would assist me in this matter and ask that you consider this request within the rules and regulations governing the Department of Justice. I look forward to your response. Best wishes. Sincerely, Bill Paxon Representative BP: mk 01-02535 Title II senting businesses in the private sector, and 67 from government units, such as mayors' offices, public school districts, and various State agencies working with individuals with disabilities. The Department received one comment from a consortium of 540 organizations representing a broad spectrum of persons with disabilities. In addition, at least another 25 commenters endorsed the position expressed by this consortium, or submitted identical comments on one or both proposed regulations. An organization representing persons with hearing impairments submitted a large number of comments. This organization presented the Department with 479 individual comments, each providing in chart form a detailed representation of what type of auxiliary aid or service would be useful in the various categories of places of public accommodation. The Department received a number of comments based on almost ten different form letters. For example, individuals who have a heightened sensitivity to a variety of chemical substances submitted 266 post cards detailing how exposure to various environmental conditions restricts their access to public and commercial buildings. Another large group of form letters came from groups affiliated with independent living centers. The vast majority of the comments addressed the Department's proposal implementing title III. Slightly more than 100 comments addressed only issues presented in the proposed title II regulation. The Department read and analyzed each comment that was submitted in a timely fashion. Transcripts of the four hearings were analyzed along with the written comments. The decisions that the Department has made in response to these comments, however, were not made on the basis of the number of commenters addressing any one point but on a thorough consideration of the merits of the points of view expressed in the comments. Copies of the written comments, including transcripts of the four hearings, will remain available for public inspection in Room 854 of the HOLC Building, 320 First Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. from 10:00 am. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for legal holidays, until August 30, 1991. 4. Overview of the Rule The rule is organized into seven subparts. Subpart A, "General," includes the purpose and application sections, describes the relationship of the Act to other laws, and defines key terms used in the regulation. It also includes administrative requirements adapted from section 504 regulations for self- evaluations, notices, designation of responsible employees, and adoption of grievance procedures by public entities. Subpart B, "General Requirements," contains the general prohibitions of discrimination based on the Act and the section 504 regulations. It also contains certain "miscellaneous" provisions derived from title V of the Act that involve issues such as retaliation and coercion against those asserting ADA rights, illegal use of drugs, and restrictions on smoking. These provisions are also included in the Department's proposed title III regulation, as is the general provision on maintenance of accessible features. ADA Handbook 01-0253 Title I Regulation ANALYSIS The question of whether a temporary impairment is a disability must be resolved on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration both the duration (or expected duration) of the impairment and the extent to which it actually limits a major life activity of the affected individual. The question of whether a person has a disability should be assessed without regard to the availability of mitigating measures, such as reasonable modifications or auxiliary aids and services. For example, a person with hearing loss is substantially limited in the major life activity of hearing, even though the loss may be improved through the use of a hearing aid. Likewise, persons with impairments, such as epilepsy or diabetes, that substantially limit a major life activity, are covered under the first prong of the definition of disability, even if the effects of the impairment are controlled by medication. Many commenters asked that environmental illness (also known as multiple chemical sensitivity) as well as allergy to cigarette smoke be recognized as disabilities. The Depart- ment, however, declines to state categorically that these type Of allergies or sensitivities are disabilities, because the deter- mination as to whether an impairment is a disability depends on whether, given the particular circumstances at issue, the impairment substantially limits one or more major life activities (or has a history of, or is regarded as having such an effect. Sometimes respiratory or neurological functioning is so severely affected that an individual will satisfy the require- ments to be considered disabled under the regulation. Such an individual would be entitled to all of the protections afforded by the Act and this part. In other cases, individuals may be sensitive to environmental elements or to smoke but their sensitivity will not rise to the level needed to constitute a disability. For example, their major life activity of breathing may be somewhat, but not substantially, impaired. In such circumstances, the individuals are not disabled and are not entitled to the protections of the statute despite their sensitivity to environmental agents. In sum, the determination as to whether allergies to cigarette smoke, or allergies or sensitivities by the commenters as environmental illness are disabilities covered by the regulation must be made using the same case ADA Handbook II- 01-02537