LRS' comments oppose proposal to delay ADA compliance with regulations regarding pools

The Ohio Legal Rights Service (LRS) submitted comments opposing the Department of Justice's proposal to extend the date of compliance of the Department's 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design relating to accessible entry and exit for existing swimming pools, wading pools and spas. LRS stated that postponing the compliance date for these regulations further would be an unacceptable roll-back of carefully constructed ADA Accessibility standards and regulations to provide equal access to swimming pools and spas for people with disabilities.

People with disabilities should have equal access to swimming pools, like any other public accommodation covered by the ADA. Access to swimming pools in all public accommodations including hotels and motels is important for many purposes, including socialization, recreation and exercise, so people with disabilities of all ages can enjoy the opportunity to go swimming when they travel.

The effective date for compliance was just extended by the Department to May 21,2012. LRS stated that this additional extension was sufficient given that the Department initially issued the final rule regarding accessibility of public accommodations in September 2010, and provided additional clarification about the requirements for swimming pools on January 31, 2012. People with disabilities who want to have the same opportunity to use public swimming pools just like their family members, friends and peers without disabilities have been waiting over 22 years. They do not deserve to wait any longer.

Read the comments: Letter to the Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice (PDF file)

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