9-28-94

                                                          OCT 26 1994


The Honorable David E. Bonior
U.S. House of Representatives
2207 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-2210

Dear Congressman Bonior:

     This letter is in response to your inquiry on behalf of your
constituent,       XX      .        XX          is an individual with a
disability who asserts that individuals with disabilities should
have the right to receive discounts from places of public
accommodation, e.g., stores, restaurants, and movie theaters,
that are comparable to the discounts frequently offered to senior
citizens.

     The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a comprehensive
civil rights statute that prohibits discrimination on the basis
of disability. Title III of the ADA requires a place of public
accommodation to ensure that no individual with a disability is
denied an equal opportunity to participate in its activities or
to benefit from the goods, services, or advantages that it offers
because of that individual's disability. However, nothing in the
ADA precludes providing special benefits, similar to senior
citizen discounts, for individuals with disabilities or groups of
individuals with disabilities.

     In the case of a senior citizen discount, eligibility is
triggered by the age of the participant. As long as the discount
is offered equally to senior citizens who have disabilities and
those who do not, such discount programs do not violate the ADA.

     I hope that this information is helpful to you in responding
to      XX

                                   Sincerely,




                                Deval L. Patrick
                            Assistant Attorney General
                              Civil Rights Division



cc: Records, Chrono, Wodatch, Blizard, McDowney, FOIA, Friedlander
n:\udd\blizard\control\bonior

01-03485



MARCH 12, 1994

CONGRESSMAN DAVID BONIOR
82 MACOMB
MT CLEMENS, MI 48043

RE: HANDICAPPER'S RIGHTS

Dear Sir:

I want to bring something to your attention that I feel NEEDS to be
addressed. I speak for myself (I'm totally and permanently
disabled) and others like me.

Many stores, restaurants and movie theaters have a "special
discount" rate for SENIOR CITIZENS. I don't knock them for doing
that. I think that is wonderful.

What bothers me, is that the only difference between myself and the
SENIOR CITIZEN is that I am only 39 years old.

Many SENIOR CITIZENs are still able to work, which I cannot do.
They also have a much larger Social Security check than the SSD
check I receive each month.

I FEEL PEOPLE SUCH AS ME, WHO CANNOT WORK, IS TOTALLY AND
PERMANENTLY DISABLED AND RECEIVES A SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK SHOULD BE
ENTITLED TO THIS SAME BENEFIT.

Many of the Senior Citizens who get these discounts are very well
off financially.

WHAT ABOUT SOMEONE LIKE ME?

PLEASE TAKE THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY. THIS COULD BE A MEMBER OF YOUR
VERY OWN FAMILY GOING THROUGH THIS. WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO SEE
JUSTICE DONE?

I am thanking you in advance for handling this matter the way it
deserves to be handled, by giving me MY rights.

THANK YOU,


XX


01-03486