ADA Amendments Act of 2008
The ADA Amendments Act of 2008, an act that will expand protections for people with disabilities and overturn several recent Supreme Court decisions, was signed into law by the President on September 25, 2008 and will go into effect January 1, 2009. In recent weeks, the Senate passed the Act on September 11 and the House of Representatives gave final approval through voice vote on September 17.
The ADA Amendments Act specifically overturns Supreme Court decisions that have caused many people with disabilities to lose important civil rights protections. The Act makes it clear that Congress intended the ADA's coverage to be broad, to cover anyone who faces discrimination because of a disability. The legislation also clarifies the current requirement that an impairment must substantially limit a major life activity in order to be considered a disability. The Act prohibits consideration of mitigating measures in the determination of whether an individual has a disability, with the exception of ordinary eyeglasses and contact lenses. Finally, the bill affords broad coverage for individuals regarded as having a disability under the ADA, but includes a provision to make it clear that accommodations need not be made to someone who is disabled solely because he or she is regarded as having a disability.
Read the ADA Amendments Act: ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (PDF file)
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