Senator Harmon News:
March 26, 2009

Harmon passes ADA bills through Senate

Springfield, IL- State Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) passed legislation today to ensure that
Illinois residents with disabilities are connected to local officials charged with implementing the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

Senator Harmon proposed the bills after a constituent in his district, Joel Sheffel, brought to his attention
that many people with disabilities do not know who their local ADA Coordinators are or how to contact them.  Mr. Sheffel is the Executive Director of West Suburban Access News Association, which provides information on disability issues. 

 
“I greatly appreciate the speed in which Senator Harmon moved when these issues were brought to his attention,” said Sheffel.  “This legislation assures that everyone will know who their ADA Coordinator for the government is in the area that they reside.”

Senate Bill 133 says that counties, townships and municipalities that employ ADA Coordinators must post on their websites contact information for their coordinators, as well as their locally-adopted procedures for dealing with grievances.  If a local government does not have a website, the information must be published
in the local newspaper or government-published newsletter.

An ADA Coordinator is responsible for directing the efforts of a government entity to comply with Title II
of the ADA.  Title II protects qualified individuals with disabilities from discrimination on the basis of disabilities in services, programs or activities of all State and local governments. Coordinators are trained
to administer their local government’s programs, policies, activities, services, and facilities for ADA compliance.  The focus of Senate Bill 133 is to provide people living with disabilities contact information
for their local ADA Coordinator. 

Senate Bill 134 amends the Nursing Home Care Act to require the Department of Public Health to provide to a person discharged from a nursing home the name and contact information of the local ADA Coordinator as well as any agencies or service providers in the new location.

“These bills help people with disabilities connect with the local officials designated to help them when they encounter a problem, need information or face discrimination,” said Senator Harmon.  “The ADA requires local governments to designate one person as an ADA Coordinator.  The problem is that many people with disabilities do not know who that person is.  Connecting people in need with the government services that can help them is a priority for me.” 

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