Tag: ada

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New Leader in City of Houston’s Office for Disabilities, and Writer Lindy West: Tuesday’s Show (March 28, 2017)

Posted on · Mayor Sylvester Turner recently announced that Maria Town will head the Office for People with Disabilities. Town previously served as the disability community liaison for the Obama Administration's Office of Public Engagement. On this edition of Houston Matters, Maggie Martin talks with her about her previous national experience and what she hopes to accomplish here […]

Houston Matters

Harris County and Justice Department Battle Over Claims of ADA Non-Compliance at Polling Places

Posted on · Earlier this month, the U.S. Justice Department sued Harris County, alleging the county hasn't taken enough steps to make polling places more accessible to voters with disabilities, citing — among other things — architectural barriers at some locations. The suit seeks a court order to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act by the […]

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Pensions and ADA Compliant Voting: Tuesday’s Show (August 16, 2016)

Posted on · Last week (August 9, 2016), Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research released a report highlighting the current financial state of Houston's pensions. The report lays out why the city's unfunded liabilities are growing, and offers options for reform (though it does not make any recommendations about those options). On this edition of Houston Matters, […]

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Voting Rights Ruling and Design Your Own Houston Theme Park: Thursday’s Show (July 21, 2016)

Posted on · The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Wednesday ruled the state's voter ID law is discriminatory, and violates the Voting Rights Act. If that sounds familiar to you, it's because this is not the first time a federal court has found flaws with the Texas law — it's actually the fourth time in […]

Houston Matters

Was the City of Beaumont Intentionally Trying to Restrict People with Disabilities from Living There?

Posted on · Earlier this month, the U.S. Justice Department announced that the City of Beaumont agreed to pay $475,000 and change its zoning and land use practices to resolve a lawsuit alleging it discriminated against people with intellectual or developmental disabilities who sought to live in small group homes in the city's residential neighborhoods. The settlement stems […]

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An EPA Ozone Rule’s Impact on Deer Park: Monday’s Show (February 15, 2016)

Posted on · Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court put a temporary hold on a new EPA rule designed to cut carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. That ruling may have dwarfed another environmental discussion taking place here in Houston at the annual Hot Air Topics Conference hosted by the Gulf Coast Air and Waste Management Association. There, […]

Houston Matters

Lex Frieden on the ADA and the Past, Present, and Future of Disability Rights

Posted on · This Sunday marks the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The landmark legislation, signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunities for disabled Americans in "employment, government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation." On this edition of Houston Matters, we talk with […]

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Lex Frieden on Crafting the ADA: Friday’s show (July 24, 2015)

Posted on · This Sunday marks the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The landmark legislation, signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunities for disabled Americans in "employment, government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation." On this edition of Houston Matters, we talk with […]