Architectural Barriers Act of 1968
Public Law 90-480, as amended
Architectural Barriers Act of 1968
480
103–437
Statute Compilation
United States House of Representatives
Office of the Legislative Counsel
text/xml
EN
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Architectural Barriers Act of 1968
10651
90
1968-08-12
Architectural Barriers Act of 1968
[Public Law 90-480]
[Popularly known as the “Architectural Barriers Act of 1968”]
[As Amended Through P.L. 103–437, Enacted November 2, 1994]
[Currency: This publication is a compilation of the text of Public Law 90-480. It was last amended by the public law listed in the As Amended Through note above and below at the bottom of each page of the pdf version and reflects current law through the date of the enactment of the public law listed at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/comps/]
[Note: While this publication does not represent an official version of any Federal statute, substantial efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents. The official version of Federal law is found in the United States Statutes at Large and in the United States Code. The legal effect to be given to the Statutes at Large and the United States Code is established by statute (1 U.S.C. 112, 204).]

AN ACT
To insure that certain buildings financed with Federal funds are so designed and constructed as to be accessible to the physically handicapped.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
[42 U.S.C. 4151] That, as used in this Act, the term “building” means any building or facility (other than (A) a privately owned residential structure not leased by the Government for subsidized housing programs and (B) any building or facility on a military installation designed and constructed primarily for use by able bodied military personnel) the intended use for which either will require that such building or facility be accessible to the public, or may result in the employment or residence therein of physically handicapped persons, which building or facility is—
(1)
to be constructed or altered by or on behalf of the United States;
(2)
to be leased in whole or in part by the United States after the date of enactment of this Act;
(3)
to be financed in whole or in part by a grant or a loan made by the United States after the date of enactment of this Act if such building or facility is subject to standards for design, construction, or alteration issued under authority of the law authorizing such grant or loan; or
(4)
to be constructed under authority of the National Capital Transportation Act of 1960, the National Capital Transportation Act of 1965, or title III of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Regulation Compact.
Sec. 2.
[42 U.S.C. 4152]
The Administrator of General Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, shall prescribe standards for the design, construction, and alteration of buildings (other than residential structures subject to this Act and buildings, structures, and facilities of the Department of Defense and of the United States Postal Service subject to this Act) to insure whenever possible that physically handicapped persons will have ready access to, and use of, such buildings.
Sec. 3.
[42 U.S.C. 4153]
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, in consultation with the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, shall prescribe standards for the design, construction, and alteration of buildings which are residential structures subject to this Act to insure whenever possible that physically handicapped persons will have ready access to, and use of, such buildings.
Sec. 4.
[42 U.S.C. 4154]
The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, shall prescribe standards for the design, construction, and alteration of buildings, structures, and facilities of the Department of Defense subject to this Act to insure whenever possible that physically handicapped persons will have ready access to, and use of, such buildings.
Sec. 4a.
[42 U.S.C. 4154a]
The United States Postal Service, in consultation with the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, shall prescribe such standards for the design, construction, and alteration of its buildings to insure whenever possible that physically handicapped persons will have ready access to, and use of, such buildings.
Sec. 5.
[42 U.S.C. 4155]
Every building designed, constructed, or altered after the effective date of a standard issued under this Act which is applicable to such building, shall be designed, constructed, or altered in accordance with such standard.
Sec. 6.
[42 U.S.C. 4156]
The Administrator of General Services, with respect to standards issued under section 2 of this Act, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, with respect to standards issued under section 3 of this Act, and the Secretary of Defense with respect to standards issued under section 4 of this Act, and the United States Postal Service with respect to standards issued under section 4a of this Act—
(1)
is authorized to modify or waive any such standard, on a case-by-case basis, upon application made by the head of the department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States concerned, and upon a determination by the Administrator or Secretary, as the case may be, that such modification or waiver is clearly necessary, and
(2)
shall establish a system of continuing surveys and investigations to insure compliance with such standards.
Sec. 7.
[42 U.S.C. 4157]
(a)
The Administrator of General Services shall report to Congress during the first week of January of each year on his activities and those of other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal Government under this Act during the preceding fiscal year including, but not limited to, standards issued, revised, amended, or repealed under this Act and all case-by-case modifications, and waivers of such standards during such year.
(b)
The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board established by section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Public Law 93–112) shall report to the Public Works and Transportation Committee of the House of Representatives and the Environment and Public Works Committee of the Senate during the first week of January of each year on its activities and actions to insure compliance with the standards prescribed under this Act.