AB 922

Current law generally prohibits discrimination in access to a public place of accommodation. The federal Americans with Disabilities Act and regulations promulgated pursuant to the ADA establish requirements for specific construction standards that state and local governmental buildings must meet to comply with the ADA for new construction and alterations to existing buildings. There are exceptions to compliance with the ADA for alterations to existing buildings, including for reasons of cost, feasibility, and risk of destruction of the historic significance of a building. Current law also requires state agencies to take certain actions in coordination with the state’s historical society before adversely affecting certain historical locations.

This bill provides that the secretary of transportation must ensure that each office location of the Department of Transportation where operators’ licenses are issued that is open to the public meets the 2010 accessibility standards of the ADA by January 1, 2030, and provides no exception for any reason. The bill also requires DOT to consult with the Aging and Disability Resource Center in each county of the state and with individuals who have lived experience in the development of the designs for the modifications. The bill further requires DOT to provide four interim reports to the governor, the legislature, and the secretary of workforce development before the January 1, 2030 implementation date, including 1) a report that identifies the locations that require modifications based on the severity of need, including the current limitations of each location; 2) a priority list of locations to be modified and a list of locations with modifications that have costs estimated to be less than $50,000 per location; and 3) a report that includes cost estimates for all necessary modifications to meet the accessibility standards.

Additionally, if the secretary of transportation determines that an action taken in order to comply with this bill may cause or permit a certain adverse effect on historic property, the secretary must ensure that the state’s Historical Society is notified at least 30 days before the action is taken and that the state’s Historical Society is allowed in that period to document the condition of the historic property before the adverse effect occurs.