Title III PUBLIC
ACCOMMODATIONS
· Public accommodations such as restaurants,
hotels, theaters, doctors' offices, pharmacies,
retail stores, museums, libraries, parks,
private schools, and day care centers may not
discriminate on the basis of disabilities,
effective January 26, 1992.
· Reasonable changes in policies, practices, and
procedures must be made to avoid discrimination.
· Auxiliary aids and services must be provided
to individuals with vision or hearing
impairments or other individuals with
disabilities so that they can have an equal
opportunity to participate or benefit, unless an
undue burden would result.
· Physical barriers in existing facilities must
be removed if removal is readily achievable
(i.e. easily accomplishable and able to be
carried out without much difficulty or expense.)
If not, alternative methods of providing the
services must be offered, if those methods are
readily achievable.
· All new construction in public accommodations
as well as in "commercial facilities" such as
office buildings must be accessible. If such
facilities are located in multi-story buildings,
accessible elevators are generally required to
serve all floors. Exemptions may be granted
under certain conditions outlined in ADA Access
Design Standards and/or The Texas Accessibility
Standards.
· Alterations must be accessible. When
alterations to primary function areas are made,
an accessible path of travel to the altered area
(and the bathrooms, telephones, and drinking
fountains serving that area) must be provided to
the extent that added accessibility costs are
not disproportionate to the overall cost of the
alterations. Elevators are required as described
above.
· Entities such as hotels that also offer
transportation generally must provide equivalent
transportation service to individuals with
disabilities. New fixed- route vehicles ordered
on or after August 26, 1990, and capable of
carrying more than 16 passengers, must be
accessible.
· Public accommodations may not discriminate
against an individual or entity because of the
known disability of an individual with whom the
individual or entity is known to have a
relationship or association.