OLYMPIA —Sen. Emily Randall (D-Bremerton) and Rep. Christine Kilduff (D-University Place) today sponsored resolutions celebrating the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), landmark legislation that established legal civil rights for people with disabilities for the first time in U.S. history. Signed into law in 1990, the ADA establishes accessibility requirements and prohibits discrimination in many areas of public life, including employment, education, transportation and telecommunication services.
“Disability should not be a barrier to an individual’s ability to hold a job, attend school, ride the bus, or go to a restaurant,” said Kilduff, the sponsor in the House. “As Washington continues the work of ensuring that persons with disabilities have equal opportunities and the ability to participate fully in society, the ADA remains the most important tool for breaking down these barriers.”
“The ADA is a result of the tireless work of self-advocates and their families and allies,” said Randall, the Senate sponsor. “This legislation is a testament to the resiliency and persistence of these champions for equity, who inspire me every single day to make my own office, my own work and the entire state of Washington more inclusive and reachable.”
“Folks with disabilities still face barriers that we need to dismantle, but I’m hopeful – thanks to groundwork established by the ADA – that we will keep winning accessibility, keep winning justice, keep winning inclusion,” said Randall.
The language of the resolutions can be found here.
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