42 U.S.C. § 12182 — Prohibition of discrimination by public

Page 8259 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 12182 was added by Pub. L. 110–432, div. A, § 2(b)(1), (2), Oct. 16, 2008, 122 Stat. 4850. This chapter, referred to in par. (9)(A), was in the original ‘‘this Act’’, meaning Pub. L. 101–336, July 26, 1990, 104 Stat. 327, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 12101 of this title and Tables. CODIFICATION In par. (8), ‘‘section 20102(1) of title 49’’ substituted for ‘‘section 202(e) of the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 (45 U.S.C. 431(e))’’ on authority of Pub. L. 103–272, § 6(b), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1378, the first section of which enacted subtitles II, III, and V to X of Title 49, Transportation. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Pub. L. 101–336, title III, § 310, July 26, 1990, 104 Stat. 365, provided that: ‘‘(a) GENERAL RULE.—Except as provided in sub- sections (b) and (c), this title [enacting this sub- chapter] shall become effective 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [July 26, 1990]. ‘‘(b) CIVIL ACTIONS.—Except for any civil action brought for a violation of section 303 [section 12183 of this title], no civil action shall be brought for any act or omission described in section 302 [section 12182 of this title] which occurs— ‘‘(1) during the first 6 months after the effective date, against businesses that employ 25 or fewer em- ployees and have gross receipts of $1,000,000 or less; and ‘‘(2) during the first year after the effective date, against businesses that employ 10 or fewer employees and have gross receipts of $500,000 or less. ‘‘(c) EXCEPTION.—Sections 302(a) [section 12182(a) of this title] for purposes of section 302(b)(2)(B) and (C) only, 304(a) [section 12184(a) of this title] for purposes of section 304(b)(3) only, 304(b)(3), 305 [section 12185 of this title], and 306 [section 12186 of this title] shall take ef- fect on the date of the enactment of this Act [July 26, 1990].’’ § 12182. Prohibition of discrimination by public accommodations (a) General rule No individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation by any per- son who owns, leases (or leases to), or operates a place of public accommodation. (b) Construction (1) General prohibition (A) Activities (i) Denial of participation It shall be discriminatory to subject an individual or class of individuals on the basis of a disability or disabilities of such individual or class, directly, or through contractual, licensing, or other arrange- ments, to a denial of the opportunity of the individual or class to participate in or benefit from the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of an entity. (ii) Participation in unequal benefit It shall be discriminatory to afford an individual or class of individuals, on the basis of a disability or disabilities of such individual or class, directly, or through contractual, licensing, or other arrange- ments with the opportunity to participate in or benefit from a good, service, facility, privilege, advantage, or accommodation that is not equal to that afforded to other individuals. (iii) Separate benefit It shall be discriminatory to provide an individual or class of individuals, on the basis of a disability or disabilities of such individual or class, directly, or through contractual, licensing, or other arrange- ments with a good, service, facility, privi- lege, advantage, or accommodation that is different or separate from that provided to other individuals, unless such action is necessary to provide the individual or class of individuals with a good, service, facility, privilege, advantage, or accommo- dation, or other opportunity that is as ef- fective as that provided to others. (iv) Individual or class of individuals For purposes of clauses (i) through (iii) of this subparagraph, the term ‘‘individual or class of individuals’’ refers to the cli- ents or customers of the covered public ac- commodation that enters into the contrac- tual, licensing or other arrangement. (B) Integrated settings Goods, services, facilities, privileges, ad- vantages, and accommodations shall be af- forded to an individual with a disability in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of the individual. (C) Opportunity to participate Notwithstanding the existence of separate or different programs or activities provided in accordance with this section, an indi- vidual with a disability shall not be denied the opportunity to participate in such pro- grams or activities that are not separate or different. (D) Administrative methods An individual or entity shall not, directly or through contractual or other arrange- ments, utilize standards or criteria or meth- ods of administration— (i) that have the effect of discriminating on the basis of disability; or (ii) that perpetuate the discrimination of others who are subject to common admin- istrative control. (E) Association It shall be discriminatory to exclude or otherwise deny equal goods, services, facili- ties, privileges, advantages, accommoda- tions, or other opportunities to 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 as- sociation. (2) Specific prohibitions (A) Discrimination For purposes of subsection (a), discrimina- tion includes— Page 8260 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 12182 (i) the imposition or application of eligi- bility criteria that screen out or tend to screen out an individual with a disability or any class of individuals with disabilities from fully and equally enjoying any goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations, unless such criteria can be shown to be necessary for the provi- sion of the goods, services, facilities, privi- leges, advantages, or accommodations being offered; (ii) a failure to make reasonable modi- fications in policies, practices, or proce- dures, when such modifications are nec- essary to afford such goods, services, fa- cilities, privileges, advantages, or accom- modations to individuals with disabilities, unless the entity can demonstrate that making such modifications would fun- damentally alter the nature of such goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations; (iii) a failure to take such steps as may be necessary to ensure that no individual with a disability is excluded, denied serv- ices, segregated or otherwise treated dif- ferently than other individuals because of the absence of auxiliary aids and services, unless the entity can demonstrate that taking such steps would fundamentally alter the nature of the good, service, facil- ity, privilege, advantage, or accommoda- tion being offered or would result in an undue burden; (iv) a failure to remove architectural barriers, and communication barriers that are structural in nature, in existing facili- ties, and transportation barriers in exist- ing vehicles and rail passenger cars used by an establishment for transporting indi- viduals (not including barriers that can only be removed through the retrofitting of vehicles or rail passenger cars by the in- stallation of a hydraulic or other lift), where such removal is readily achievable; and (v) where an entity can demonstrate that the removal of a barrier under clause (iv) is not readily achievable, a failure to make such goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations available through alternative methods if such meth- ods are readily achievable. (B) Fixed route system (i) Accessibility It shall be considered discrimination for a private entity which operates a fixed route system and which is not subject to section 12184 of this title to purchase or lease a vehicle with a seating capacity in excess of 16 passengers (including the driv- er) for use on such system, for which a so- licitation is made after the 30th day fol- lowing the effective date of this subpara- graph, that is not readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, in- cluding individuals who use wheelchairs. (ii) Equivalent service If a private entity which operates a fixed route system and which is not subject to section 12184 of this title purchases or leases a vehicle with a seating capacity of 16 passengers or less (including the driver) for use on such system after the effective date of this subparagraph that is not read- ily accessible to or usable by individuals with disabilities, it shall be considered dis- crimination for such entity to fail to oper- ate such system so that, when viewed in its entirety, such system ensures a level of service to individuals with disabilities, in- cluding individuals who use wheelchairs, equivalent to the level of service provided to individuals without disabilities. (C) Demand responsive system For purposes of subsection (a), discrimina- tion includes— (i) a failure of a private entity which op- erates a demand responsive system and which is not subject to section 12184 of this title to operate such system so that, when viewed in its entirety, such system ensures a level of service to individuals with dis- abilities, including individuals who use wheelchairs, equivalent to the level of service provided to individuals without disabilities; and (ii) the purchase or lease by such entity for use on such system of a vehicle with a seating capacity in excess of 16 passengers (including the driver), for which solicita- tions are made after the 30th day following the effective date of this subparagraph, that is not readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities (including individuals who use wheelchairs) unless such entity can demonstrate that such system, when viewed in its entirety, pro- vides a level of service to individuals with disabilities equivalent to that provided to individuals without disabilities. (D) Over-the-road buses (i) Limitation on applicability Subparagraphs (B) and (C) do not apply to over-the-road buses. (ii) Accessibility requirements For purposes of subsection (a), discrimi- nation includes (I) the purchase or lease of an over-the-road bus which does not com- ply with the regulations issued under sec- tion 12186(a)(2) of this title by a private en- tity which provides transportation of indi- viduals and which is not primarily engaged in the business of transporting people, and (II) any other failure of such entity to comply with such regulations. (3) Specific construction Nothing in this subchapter shall require an entity to permit an individual to participate in or benefit from the goods, services, facili- ties, privileges, advantages and accommoda- tions of such entity where such individual poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. The term ‘‘direct threat’’ means a sig- nificant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by a modification of policies, practices, or procedures or by the provision of auxiliary aids or services. Page 8261 TITLE 42—THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE § 12184 1 So in original. Probably should be ‘‘an’’. (Pub. L. 101–336, title III, § 302, July 26, 1990, 104 Stat. 355.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT For the effective date of this subparagraph, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(B), (C)(ii), see section 310 of Pub. L. 101–336, set out as an Effective Date note under section 12181 of this title. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective 18 months after July 26, 1990, but with subsec. (a) of this section (for purposes of subsec. (b)(2)(B), (C) only) effective July 26, 1990, and with cer- tain qualifications with respect to bringing of civil ac- tions, see section 310 of Pub. L. 101–336, set out as a note under section 12181 of this title. § 12183. New construction and alterations in pub- lic accommodations and commercial facili- ties (a) Application of term Except as provided in subsection (b), as ap- plied to public accommodations and commercial facilities, discrimination for purposes of section 12182(a) of this title includes— (1) a failure to design and construct facili- ties for first occupancy later than 30 months after July 26, 1990, that are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, except where an entity can demonstrate that it is structurally impracticable to meet the re- quirements of such subsection in accordance with standards set forth or incorporated by reference in regulations issued under this sub- chapter; and (2) with respect to a facility or part thereof that is altered by, on behalf of, or for the use of an establishment in a manner that affects or could affect the usability of the facility or part thereof, a failure to make alterations in such a manner that, to the maximum extent feasible, the altered portions of the facility are readily accessible to and usable by individ- uals with disabilities, including individuals who use wheelchairs. Where the entity is un- dertaking an alteration that affects or could affect usability of or access to an area of the facility containing a primary function, the en- tity shall also make the alterations in such a manner that, to the maximum extent feasible, the path of travel to the altered area and the bathrooms, telephones, and drinking fountains serving the altered area, are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities where such alterations to the path of travel or the bathrooms, telephones, and drinking foun- tains serving the altered area are not dis- proportionate to the overall alterations in terms of cost and scope (as determined under criteria established by the Attorney General). (b) Elevator Subsection (a) shall not be construed to re- quire the installation of an elevator for facili- ties that are less than three stories or have less than 3,000 square feet per story unless the build- ing is a shopping center, a shopping mall, or the professional office of a health care provider or unless the Attorney General determines that a particular category of such facilities requires the installation of elevators based on the usage of such facilities. (Pub. L. 101–336, title III, § 303, July 26, 1990, 104 Stat. 358.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective 18 months after July 26, 1990, see section 310(a), (b) of Pub. L. 101–336, set out as a note under section 12181 of this title. § 12184. Prohibition of discrimination in speci- fied public transportation services provided by private entities (a) General rule No individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of specified public transportation services provided by a private entity that is pri- marily engaged in the business of transporting people and whose operations affect commerce. (b) Construction For purposes of subsection (a), discrimination includes— (1) the imposition or application by a 1 enti- ty described in subsection (a) of eligibility cri- teria that screen out or tend to screen out an individual with a disability or any class of in- dividuals with disabilities from fully enjoying the specified public transportation services provided by the entity, unless such criteria can be shown to be necessary for the provision of the services being offered; (2) the failure of such entity to— (A) make reasonable modifications con- sistent with those required under section 12182(b)(2)(A)(ii) of this title; (B) provide auxiliary aids and services con- sistent with the requirements of section 12182(b)(2)(A)(iii) of this title; and (C) remove barriers consistent with the re- quirements of section 12182(b)(2)(A) of this title and with the requirements of section 12183(a)(2) of this title; (3) the purchase or lease by such entity of a new vehicle (other than an automobile, a van with a seating capacity of less than 8 pas- sengers, including the driver, or an over-the- road bus) which is to be used to provide speci- fied public transportation and for which a so- licitation is made after the 30th day following the effective date of this section, that is not readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, including individuals who use wheelchairs; except that the new vehicle need not be readily accessible to and usable by such individuals if the new vehicle is to be used solely in a demand responsive system and if the entity can demonstrate that such sys- tem, when viewed in its entirety, provides a level of service to such individuals equivalent to the level of service provided to the general public; (4)(A) the purchase or lease by such entity of an over-the-road bus which does not comply