Americans with Disabilities Act

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, As Amended Editor’s Note: Here is the text of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), including changes made by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. Congress passed the ADA as a “Public Law,” and it originally was in a different format than presented here. To make the law more widely available, the ADA was later reformatted and published in volume 42 (called “title 42”) of the United States Code. One small part of the ADA is found in title 47 of the United States Code. The text below mirrors the law as it is found in the U.S. Code. Because the numbering system is different in the U.S. Code, the headings provide in brackets the title numbers of the ADA as originally enacted. Law, Regulations, & Standards Read this document to understand your legal rights or responsibilities under the ADA. For a beginner-level introduction to a topic, view Topics For more detailed information on a topic, view Guidance & Resource materials Title 42 - The Public Health and Welfare Chapter 126 - Equal Opportunity for Individuals with Disabilities Sec. 12101. Findings and purpose (a) Findings The Congress finds that— (1) physical or mental disabilities in no way diminish a person’s right to fully participate in all aspects of society, yet many people with physical or mental disabilities have been precluded from doing so because of discrimination; others who have a record of a disability or are regarded as having a disability also have been …