Parents’ Corner

We know what the Americans with Disabilities Act is and the Rehabilitation of 1973, but do you know what H.R. 620 is? I think most people don’t know what it is because it was just passed by the House on February 15 this year. Did you hear about this? Probably not, because we are being bombarded with the killing of students and the election meddling. How nice?

H.R. 620

What is H.R. 620 anyway? Well, it is a bill that gives companies extra six months to get their buildings accessible after they have been reported. This sounds fair, but is it? The Rehabilitation of 1973 was passed 41 years ago and businesses didn’t fix their buildings yet. This is a joke and our government is trying to give these companies extra six months to get their shit straight. I find this to be so funny because the government is trying to say that it is OK to delay making their business accessible.

Work Accommodations

Why did I say businesses, not buildings? From what I read, H.R. 620 is not just for making buildings accessible; it is also for hiring an interpreter for the deaf. Let’s say that a person who is deaf and had an interview for and brought their own interpreter to the interview. The person is hired and the day comes for the person to start working. I don’t know when people who are deaf truly need an interpreter, but let’s say that they need one when there is a presentation where the person who is talking is from the outside of the company. Also, the person who is deaf is there less than six months. The company could say that they would not get an interpreter. I don’t know if this is what the bill is saying or not but let’s say it is. Is it fair?

ADA

With the ADA, it was that all buildings should be accessible, but the H.R. 620 is saying that buildings don’t have to be accessible until they get complaints. Is this for new buildings too? I don’t know this answer. I hope not. Making buildings accessible does not only help people with disabilities, but it helps parents with strollers too. I have a feeling that places will be built with accessibility in mind.

More on H.R. 620

Another part of H.R. 620 is to provide more education to companies to really understand what the ADA says. You would say that this is a great idea. To really know what comply with the ADA, it is really difficult. Education is really important, but the bill does not say how the education will be funded. What? This is like saying I will buy a Tesla’ car soon, but I do not know where I will get the money for it. I know that our government does this a lot, but do they really want to fund the education?

Will This Help?

Is this bill really necessary? I don’t know for sure, but after 28 years that the ADA is on the books, is this bill going to help? If a company does not know what to do to comply with the ADA, they can get a builder who knows how to make a place to be accessible. To me, that would be a lot easier and the builders really know the law. There are some people are saying that this bill will make people with disabilities worse than 28 years ago. I think we have to see if the bill will become a law. If it becomes a law, I don’t believe that the businesses will stop building accessible places. There are more people who will use wheelchairs in the future so architectures will continue to develop accessible buildings. Let’s wait until H.R. 620 becomes a law. Remember that Senate and the President have to approve it before it becomes a law. Tell us what you think about this bill and if you feel that it will make our lives worse, explain why.