§ 792 — Architectural And Transportation Barriers Compliance Board

(1) There is established within the Federal Government the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (hereinafter referred to as the “Access Board”) which shall be composed as follows: (A) Thirteen members shall be appointed by the President from among members of the general public of whom at least a majority shall be individuals with disabilities. (B) The remaining members shall be the heads of each of the following departments or agencies (or their designees whose positions are executive level IV or higher): (i) Department of Health and Human Services. (ii) Department of Transportation. (iii) Department of Housing and Urban Development. (iv) Department of Labor. (v) Department of the Interior. (vi) Department of Defense. (vii) Department of Justice. (viii) General Services Administration. (ix) Department of Veterans Affairs. (x) United States Postal Service. (xi) Department of Education. (xii) Department of Commerce. (i) shall expire. (I) One member appointed for a term beginning December 4, 1992 shall serve for a term of 3 years. (II) One member appointed for a term beginning December 4, 1993 shall serve for a term of 2 years. (III) One member appointed for a term beginning December 4, 1994 shall serve for a term of 1 year. (IV) Members appointed for terms beginning before December 4, 1992 shall serve for terms of 3 years. (B) A member whose term has expired may continue to serve until a successor has been appointed. (C) A member appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the term to which that member’s predecessor was appointed. (3) If any appointed member of the Access Board becomes a Federal employee, such member may continue as a member of the Access Board for not longer than the sixty-day period beginning on the date the member becomes a Federal employee. (4) No individual appointed under paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection who has served as a member of the Access Board may be reappointed to the Access Board more than once unless such individual has not served on the Access Board for a period of two years prior to the effective date of such individual’s appointment. (A) Members of the Access Board who are not regular full-time employees of the United States shall, while serving on the business of the Access Board, be entitled to receive compensation at rates fixed by the President, but not to exceed the daily equivalent of the rate of pay for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, including travel time, for each day they are engaged in the performance of their duties as members of the Access Board; and shall be entitled to reimbursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in carrying out their duties under this section. (B) Members of the Access Board who are employed by the Federal Government shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in carrying out their duties under this section. (A) The Access Board shall establish such bylaws and other rules as may be appropriate to enable the Access Board to carry out its functions under this chapter. (B) The bylaws shall include quorum requirements. The quorum requirements shall provide that (i) a proxy may not be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum, and (ii) not less than half the members required for a quorum shall be members of the general public appointed under paragraph (1)(A). (b) It shall be the function of the Access Board to— (1) ensure compliance with the standards prescribed pursuant to the Act entitled “An Act to ensure that certain buildings financed with Federal funds are so designed and constructed as to be accessible to the physically handicapped”, approved August 12, 1968 (commonly known as the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968; 42 U.S.C. 4151 et seq.) (including the application of such Act to the United States Postal Service), including enforcing all standards under such Act, and ensuring that all waivers and modifications to the standards are based on findings of fact and are not inconsistent with the provisions of this section; (2) develop advisory information for, and provide appropriate technical assistance to, individuals or entities with rights or duties under regulations prescribed pursuant to this subchapter or titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq. and 12181 et seq.) with respect to overcoming architectural, transportation, and communication barriers; (3) establish and maintain— (A) minimum guidelines and requirements for the standards issued pursuant to the Act commonly known as the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968; (B) minimum guidelines and requirements for the standards issued pursuant to titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; (C) guidelines for accessibility of telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment under section 255 of title 47; and (D) standards for accessible electronic and information technology under section 794d of this title; (4) promote accessibility throughout all segments of society; (5) investigate and examine alternative approaches to the architectural, transportation, communication, and attitudinal barriers confronting individuals with disabilities, particularly with respect to telecommunications devices, public buildings and monuments, parks and parklands, public transportation (including air, water, and surface transportation, whether interstate, foreign, intrastate, or local), and residential and institutional housing; (6) determine what measures are being taken by Federal, State, and local governments and by other public or nonprofit agencies to eliminate the barriers described in paragraph (5); (7) promote the use of the International Accessibility Symbol in all public facilities that are in compliance with the standards prescribed by the Administrator of General Services, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development pursuant to the Act commonly known as the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968; (8) make to the President and to the Congress reports that shall describe in detail the results of its investigations under paragraphs (5) and (6); (9) make to the President and to the Congress such recommendations for legislative and administrative changes as the Access Board determines to be necessary or desirable to eliminate the barriers described in paragraph (5); (10) ensure that public conveyances, including rolling stock, are readily accessible to, and usable by, individuals with physical disabilities; and (11) carry out the responsibilities specified for the Access Board in section 794d of this title. (c) The Access Board shall also (1)(A) determine how and to what extent transportation barriers impede the mobility of individuals with disabilities and aged individuals with disabilities and consider ways in which travel expenses in connection with transportation to and from work for individuals with disabilities can be met or subsidized when such individuals are unable to use mass transit systems or need special equipment in private transportation, and (B) consider the housing needs of individuals with disabilities; (2) determine what measures are being taken, especially by public and other nonprofit agencies and groups having an interest in and a capacity to deal with such problems, (A) to eliminate barriers from public transportation systems (including vehicles used in such systems), and to prevent their incorporation in new or expanded transportation systems, and (B) to make housing available and accessible to individuals with disabilities or to meet sheltered housing needs; and (3) prepare plans and proposals for such further actions as may be necessary to the goals of adequate transportation and housing for individuals with disabilities, including proposals for bringing together in a cooperative effort, agencies, organizations, and groups already working toward such goals or whose cooperation is essential to effective and comprehensive action. (d) Beginning in fiscal year 2000, the Access Board, after consultation with the Secretary, representatives of such public and private entities as the Access Board determines to be appropriate (including the electronic and information technology industry), targeted individuals and entities (as defined in section 3002 of this title), and State information technology officers, shall provide training for Federal and State employees on any obligations related to section 794d of this title. (1) The Access Board shall conduct investigations, hold public hearings, and issue such orders as it deems necessary to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Acts cited in subsection (b). Except as provided in paragraph (3) of subsection (f), the provisions of subchapter II of chapter 5, and chapter 7 of title 5 shall apply to procedures under this subsection, and an order of compliance issued by the Access Board shall be a final order for purposes of judicial review. Any such order affecting any Federal department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States shall be final and binding on such department, agency, or instrumentality. An order of compliance may include the withholding or suspension of Federal funds with respect to any building or public conveyance or rolling stock found not to be in compliance with standards enforced under this section. Pursuant to chapter 7 of title 5, any complainant or participant in a proceeding under this subsection may obtain review of a final order issued in such proceeding. (2) The executive director is authorized, at the direction of the Access Board— (A) to bring a civil action in any appropriate United States district court to enforce, in whole or in part, any final order of the Access Board under this subsection; and (B) to intervene, appear, and participate, or to appear as amicus curiae, in any court of the United States or in any court of a State in civil actions that relate to this section or to the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 [42 U.S.C. 4151 et seq.]. (1) There shall be appointed by the Access Board an executive director and such other professional and clerical personnel as are necessary to carry out its functions under this chapter. The Access Board is authorized to appoint as many administrative law judges as are necessary for proceedings required to be conducted under this section. The provisions applicable to administrative law judges appointed under section 3105 of title 5 shall apply to administrative law judges appointed under this subsection. (2) The Executive Director shall exercise general supervision over all personnel employed by the Access Board (other than administrative law judges and their assistants). The Executive Director shall have final authority on behalf of the Access Board, with respect to the investigation of alleged noncompliance and in the issuance of formal complaints before the Access Board, and shall have such other duties as the Access Board may prescribe. (3) For the purpose of this section, an order of compliance issued by an administrative law judge shall be deemed to be an order of the Access Board and shall be the final order for the purpose of judicial review. (A) In carrying out the technical assistance responsibilities of the Access Board under this section, the Board may enter into an interagency agreement with another Federal department or agency. (B) Any funds appropriated to such a department or agency for the purpose of providing technical assistance may be transferred to the Access Board. Any funds appropriated to the Access Board for the purpose of providing such technical assistance may be transferred to such department or agency. (C) The Access Board may arrange to carry out the technical assistance responsibilities of the Board under this section through such other departments and agencies for such periods as the Board determines to be appropriate. (D) The Access Board shall establish a procedure to ensure separation of its compliance and technical assistance responsibilities under this section. (2) but not exceeding the daily equivalent of the rate of pay for level 4 of the Senior Executive Service Schedule under section 5382 of title 5, including travel time, and while serving away from their homes or regular places of business they may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of such title 5 for persons in the Government service employed intermittently. (h) (1) The Access Board may make grants to, or enter into contracts with, public or private organizations to carry out its duties under subsections (b) and (c). (A) The Access Board may accept, hold, administer, and utilize gifts, devises, and bequests of property, both real and personal, for the purpose of aiding and facilitating the functions of the Access Board under paragraphs (2) and (4) of subsection (b). Gifts and bequests of money and proceeds from sales of other property received as gifts, devises, or bequests shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be disbursed upon the order of the Chairperson.2 Property accepted pursuant to this section, and the proceeds thereof, shall be used as nearly as possible in accordance with the terms of the gifts, devises, or bequests. For purposes of Federal income, estate, or gift taxes, property accepted under this section shall be considered as a gift, devise, or bequest to the United States. (B) The Access Board shall publish regulations setting forth the criteria the Board will use in determining whether the acceptance of gifts, devises, and bequests of property, both real and personal, would reflect unfavorably upon the ability of the Board or any employee to carry out the responsibilities or official duties of the Board in a fair and objective manner, or would compromise the integrity of or the appearance of the integrity of a Government program or any official involved in that program. (3) Omitted. (j) There are authorized to be appropriated for the purpose of carrying out the duties and functions of the Access Board under this section $7,448,000 for fiscal year 2015, $8,023,000 for fiscal year 2016, $8,190,000 for fiscal year 2017, $8,371,000 for fiscal year 2018, $8,568,000 for fiscal year 2019, and $8,750,000 for fiscal year 2020.