Sen. Jesse Lujan sent a letter of request to Attorney General Douglas Moylan to work with the Department of Integrated Services for Individuals with Disabilities to enforce American with Disabilities Act compliance and support island residents with disabilities.
“The testimonies heard in the public hearing on Tuesday morning highlighted the need for more vigilant implementation of ADA regulations to adequately care for the needs of our island’s vulnerable residents. This should not be the case and we need to address this as soon as possible,” Lujan wrote in his letter.
The Legislature last Tuesday held a public hearing for Bill 191-27 which would mandate all government of Guam leased officers to be ADA compliant. Lujan said he would write to the attorney general since his office is tasked to enforce ADA compliance.
Sen. William Parkinson, who introduced the bill, said at the public hearing that people with disabilities struggle due to non-compliance of ADA which is in place to give equal opportunities to them.
If they want to seek government services they shouldn’t be limited because of their disability, he said.
“There should be no physical barriers to prevent them from doing so,” Parkinson said.
The bill would give DISID authority to investigate complaints regarding non-compliance with the legislation and recommend appropriate action.
“Despite the progress made with the enactment of ‘The Americans with Disabilities Act’ in 1990, there are still situations where ADA compliance is not upheld, and consequently the progress made for our people with disabilities is jeopardized by removing access, opportunities, and inclusion,” Lujan said.
Lujan at the public hearing said the issue of getting places to be ADA compliant is important as the island’s population continues to age and anyone who lives past a certain age will need the accommodations. People who may not have disabilities now may be physically challenged as they get older, he said.
“We need to make this a priority,” he said.
Lujan urges the attorney general to collaborate with the DISID office to conduct thorough assessments across the island and ensure stringent compliance with vigorous enforcement.
“We need to support our island residents with disabilities. With the successful enforcement of ADA regulations under the Office of the Attorney General and DISID, we can create an inclusive society and truly provide equal opportunities for everyone,” Lujan said.
Source: Pacific Daily News