The Minnesota Council on Disability policy staff held over a dozen meetings with legislators promoting the agency’s 2019 public policy agenda. Senator Draheim authored and jacketed a bill related to the Accessibility of Public Buildings. This housekeeping bill is one of the Council’s priority items, and serves to provide clarity to MN State Statute 326B.106. Current language in the building code conflicts with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Minnesota Human Rights Act.
Current state statute specifies that state buildings built or remodeled after July 1, 1963 are only required to make accessibility improvements if they are part of a different remodeling project. This language is confusing and may delay the removal of barriers in public buildings, causing programs, services and activities provided by state or local government to be inaccessible to people with disabilities. This bill serves to simply eliminate conflicting and confusing language in state statute on accessibility of public buildings.
Follow the Council on Disability on our website and social media to follow the status of this bill and other legislation that impacts Minnesotans with disabilities. MCD is on both Facebook and Twitter, and provides weekly updates on the legislative session on the blog hosted on its website.
Mark your calendars: The 2019 Disability Day at the Capitol is on February 19th. The Minnesota Council on Disability is a sponsor of the event. Information on the event can be found on The Arc Minnesota’s website.
The Minnesota Council on Disability exists to serve people with disabilities in Minnesota through development of effective policy, training, technical resources and collaborations with public and private stakeholders. Any policy inquires can be directed to Public Policy Director Kody Olson at kody.olson@state.mn.us.