Watertown Commission on Disability

April Disability Commission newsletter from Jeffrey Dougan at the Massachusetts Office on Disability

April 20, 2010

Dear Commission on Disability Chairperson:

It is often said that “April showers bring May flowers”; however, I think we all received enough rain in March to hope the flowers arrive early! I truly hope that everyone fared well through the record amounts of rain that we endured.

Since the last letter, I have met with eight local Commissions and have scheduled five more meetings for the coming weeks. This gives me an opportunity to share with you; in person, what MOD is doing and to hear from you how I can best assist you. There are about 160 Commissions throughout the Commonwealth, and my goal is to meet with each by year end. These meetings are not intended to be a one time event either, as I would like to see this continue throughout the coming years. So, if you haven’t scheduled me into one of your meetings, please contact me so we can set something up.

I would also like to clarify a question we have been receiving frequently regarding Regional Commission on Disability meetings. For the past 20 years, MOD works closely with local Commissions and has coordinated the regional meetings. As you are aware, our meetings bring together the various Commissions throughout particular regions to discuss topics of interest as well as receive an update from MOD about what has been happening at the state level. It appears that this year, the Disability Policy Consortium (DPC) is also holding similar meetings. We’re pleases that DPC has the ability to hold these meetings. It’s to everyone’s benefit for Commissions to get together and share information; and I intend to be with you at DPC’s meetings.

I would like to remind the Commissions that MOD is available to conduct site-visits of buildings or sidewalks to ensure compliance with the various architectural accessibility regulations. April is when the industry begins anew, and we are available to assist. We can offer detailed reports of our findings and can assist with ensuring that buildings are accessible to everyone, whether they are municipal owned buildings or a private business. All you need to do is contact me and we can start the process. It’s a benefit a Commission can offer to their local businesses or the municipality to review access obligations in projects before the business or municipality takes full ownership of the building or sidewalks. We hate to see, municipalities take ownership of a newly constructed or renovated building with non-compliant features, as once ownership is transferred, the municipality takes on those inaccessible features as their responsibility.

On a final note, I would like reiterate the importance of contacting your legislators regarding the legislative bills I shared with you last month. I have included the bill information again, for your review. If these bills interest you, please contact your legislators. If your legislators do not hear from you, bills you support may not move forward and those you oppose may become law. Share this information with your members and urge them to contact their legislators to discuss their support or opposition. We have heard that contacting your Legislator by phone, and with a personal story, has a great effect on them remembering whether to support or oppose proposed legislation. Please use the links at the end of the letter to find out who you should contact for your area. I have also included the link to search the bill language as well as the link to search the bill history. Using these links will help you find the Committee you should contact as well.

1. Senate 1880 – An Act Relative to Identification Cards.
This bill is currently in the Joint Committee on Transportation. Just as the House Bill 307 would, this bill would extend comparable rights for people who use Massachusetts State Identification cards to people who use Massachusetts Driver’s Licenses for identification purposes. Right now, people who only have a State ID card but no Driver’s License must also purchase a State Liquor ID if they would like to purchase alcohol. Although one can use their Driver’s License as a proof of age to purchase liquor, it is not sufficient to have only a State ID even though both ID and the Driver’s License are issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

2. Senate 2172 – An Act further regulating Animal Control:
Currently in the House Committee on Ways and Means, this bill removes the requirement for service animals to be certified under State law. As you most likely are aware, the Federal law prohibits the requirement for certification of service animals. This would fix the State law.

3. House 2206 – An Act further prohibiting discrimination in sober housing.
Currently in the House Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling, this bill would alter the language of “lodging house” and “boarding house” to exempt the obligations for accessibility under the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board’s rules and regulations. If passed, it would exempt most nursing homes, group homes, sober houses, substance abuse facilities and many dormitories from being required to be accessible.

4. House 45 – An Act Relative to the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board.
Currently in the House Committee on Ways and Means, this bill will update the Architectural Access Board’s statute to allow the regulations to be revised to become substantially equivalent to the ADA Standards.

5. House 1965 – An Act relative to provide funds for ADA compliance in cities and towns.
Currently in the House Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling, this bill would change the current language in Chapter 40 Section 22G, restricting the local Commission on Disability use of money collected through handicap parking violations to be used solely to meet obligations the municipality already has under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It also creates a special commission consisting, among others, of two members of the Commission to conduct the municipal self evaluation survey and administer the transition plan.

To find your legislator, please use the following link:

House: http://www.mass.gov/legis/memmenuh.htm
Senate: http://www.mass.gov/legis/memmenus.htm
To search by city/town: http://www.mass.gov/legis/city_town.htm
To search for the language of a Senate Bill: http://www.mass.gov/legis/billsrch.htm
To search for the language of a House Bill: http://www.mass.gov/legis/hbillsrch.htm
To search the history of either a Senate or House Bill: http://www.mass.gov/legis/ltsform.htm

If there are any questions about the above items, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,
Jeffrey L. Dougan
Jeffrey L. Dougan
Assistant Director for Community Services