Revised ADA Design Standards

The Department of Justice has published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to begin the process of revising the Department's ADA regulations to adopt design standards that are consistent with the revised ADA Accessibility Guidelines published by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (also known as the Access Board). Members of the public may submit comments until May 31, 2005. The ADA requires the Department to publish regulations that include accessibility standards that are consistent with the Access Board's guidelines. Until the Department's rulemaking is complete, the revised ADA Guidelines are effective only as guidance to the Department (and to the Department of Transportation). The revised guidelines have no legal effect on the public.

The ANPRM is the first of three steps in the regulatory process. The ANPRM will be followed by notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and a final rule. The Department published the ANPRM to solicit public comment on several issues relating to the potential application of the revised guidelines and to obtain background information needed for the regulatory impact analysis (a report analyzing the economic costs and benefits of a regulatory action) that will accompany the proposed and final rules. Comments may be submitted electronically to www.adaanprm.org or www.regulations.gov or by mail to P.O. Box 1032, Merrifield, VA 22116-1032.