[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 3, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 58974]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-25382]



[[Page 58974]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD

36 CFR Parts 1190 and 1191

RIN 3014-AA20


Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines 
for Buildings and Facilities; Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) 
Accessibility Guidelines

AGENCY: Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.

ACTION: Proposed rule; meetings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board 
(Access Board) will hold two informational meetings to provide the 
public with additional opportunities to discuss proposed requirements 
relating to automated teller machines, reach ranges, and captioning 
equipment included in its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to amend the 
accessibility guidelines for buildings and facilities covered by the 
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the Architectural 
Barriers Act (ABA) of 1968. The meetings will be held on the dates and 
at the locations noted below.

DATES: The Access Board will hold an informational meeting on access to 
automated teller machines on October 24, 2000 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 
p.m. and an informational meeting on captioning equipment on October 
25, 2000 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and reach ranges on October 25, 
2000 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 815 14th 
Street, NW., in Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marsha Mazz, Office of Technical and 
Information Services, Architectural and Transportation Barriers 
Compliance Board, 1331 F Street, NW., suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004-
1111. Telephone number (202) 272-5434 extension 121 (Voice); (202) 272-
5449 (TTY). These are not toll-free numbers. Electronic mail address: 
board.gov">mazz@access-board.gov. This document is available in alternate formats 
(cassette tape, Braille, large print, or computer disk) upon request.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 16, 1999 the Architectural and 
Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) published a 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to amend the accessibility guidelines for 
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the Architectural 
Barriers Act (ABA) of 1968. 64 FR 62248 (November 16, 1999). Proposed 
section 707 includes several provisions that may affect access to 
automated teller machines (ATMs), point of sale machines, and 
interactive transaction machines by people who are blind or have vision 
impairments. Proposed section 308 includes provisions for maximum high 
unobstructed reach. While section 707 is based on the American National 
Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, ICC/ANSI 
A117.1-1998, the Board departed from this consensus standard with 
regard to reach ranges. In the proposed rule, the Board sought 
information on different means of providing captioning for movie 
theaters (Question 36). The Board is interested in receiving more 
information about various types of captioning as it relates to the 
built environment.
    The Board wishes to provide affected parties the opportunity to 
share their views and expertise directly with the Board on these 
issues. Specific areas of inquiry are:

ATMs

     What are the performance expectations of people who are 
blind or have a vision impairment?
     What functions are currently accessible in audible format 
and on what types of devices?
     What functions cannot be made accessible in audible format 
and why?
     What are the hardware and software costs associated with 
audible output?
     What does the industry hope to gain from a ``performance 
standard'?
     What effect would a 48 inch maximum reach have on ATMs, 
point of sale machines, and interactive transaction machines?

Reach Ranges

     What manufactured equipment cannot provide a 48 inch high 
side reach and why?
     Are there newly constructed building elements that would 
be substantially affected in terms of usability by lowering the high 
side reach from 54 inches to 48 inches?
     What is the experience in those States where the ICC/ANSI 
A117.1-1998 standard requiring the side reach to be no higher than 48 
inches is used?

Captioning for Movie Theaters

     What technical provisions are necessary to facilitate or 
augment the use of auxiliary aids such as captioning and videotext 
displays?
     What are the various options for providing captioning that 
would best facilitate effective communication?
     If provisions for conduit, electrical service, screen 
anchoring devices at seats, or other requirements that make providing 
accessible communication possible in the built environment are required 
in the final rule, how specific should those provisions be?
    Members of the public are encouraged to share their views on these 
subjects with the Board. Following the informational meetings, the 
Board will determine the provisions to be included in the final rule. 
The informational meetings will be informal and open to the public.
    Members of the public are encouraged to contact Marsha Mazz at 
(202) 272-5434 extension 121 (Voice), (202) 272-5449 (TTY), or 
electronic mail board.gov">mazz@access-board.gov to preregister to attend the 
informational meetings.
    All meetings are accessible to persons with disabilities. Sign 
language interpreters and an assistive listening system will be 
available at the meetings. Persons attending the informational meetings 
are requested to refrain from using perfume, cologne, and other 
fragrances for the comfort of other participants.

Lawrence W. Roffee,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 00-25382 Filed 10-2-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8150-01-P