US Disability - 1980-1990

 Key Events regarding Disability in the US: 1980 to 1990:

1980: The Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act authorized the U.S. Justice Department to file civil suits on behalf of Residents of institutions whose rights were being violated.

1980: The New Hampshire Supreme Court held that a Probate Vourt may approve a petition for the Sterilization of an incompetent Minor.

1980: The New Jersey Supreme Court held that a Mentally Disabled Woman has the right to be Sterilized under the privacy rights of both the New Jersey and Federal Constitutions.

1981:  The Alaska Supreme Court held that an Alaskan Superior Court has the authority to order the Sterilization of a Mental Incompetent.

1981: New York City began using some Wheelchair Accessible Buses.

1981: The Colorado Supreme Court held that a district court may authorize the Sterilization of a "Mentally Retarded Person.”

1981: President Reagan ordered the Social Security Administration (SSA) to tighten up enforcement of the Disability Amendments Act of 1980, which resulted in more than a million Disability beneficiaries having their benefits stopped.

1982: The Telecommunications for the Disabled Act became law in the U.S., and it mandated that public phones be accessible to the Hearing Impaired by Jan 1, 1985.

1982: The Appeals Court of Massachusetts held that a Court of general jurisdiction has the authority to hear a petition to Sterilize an Intellectually Disabled person.

1982: The Maryland Court of Appeals held that Circuit Courts have the jurisdiction to hear a petition for the Sterilization on an Incompetent Minor.

1983: The Americans Disabled for Accessible Public Transit (ADAPT) organization was established in Denver, Colorado.

1983: The New York Supreme Court authorized the Sterilization of an Incompetent Person.

1983: The World Institute on Disability (WID) was established in Berkeley, California, by Edward Roberts, Judy Heumann, and Joan Leon.

1983: The Disabled Children's Computer Group (DCCG) was founded in Berkeley, California.

1983: The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) was founded by the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped to provide information to businesses with Disabled Employees.

1984: The Social Security Disability Benefits Reform Act of 1984 was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan.

1984:  the American Government issued Baby Doe Regulations whereby if Parents refused treatment for their Infants with congenital defects, Infant Care Review Committees were required to advise the Hospital to alert the Courts or a Child Protective Agency.

1984: The Insanity Defense Reform Act of 1984 amended the United States Federal Laws governing Defendants with Mental Diseases or defects to make it significantly more difficult to obtain a verdict of not guilty only by reason of Insanity.

1984: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Irving Independent School District v. Tatro that School Districts are required under the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 to provide intermittent Catheterization performed by the School Nurse or a Nurse's Aide as a "related service" to a Disabled Student.

1984: The National Council of the Handicapped became an Independent Federal Agency.

1984:  The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act became law in the U.S., and it mandated "Handicapped and Elderly" access to polling places, and provided for the creation of permanent Disabled access voter registration sites.

1985:  The Mental Illness Bill of Rights Act became law in the U.S., and it required States to provide protection and advocacy services to protect and advocate for people with Psychological Disabilities.

1985: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in City of Cleburne v. Cleburne Living Center that localities cannot use zoning laws to prohibit Group Homes for people with Developmental disabilities from opening in a residential area solely because its Residents are Disabled.

1985: The North Carolina Supreme Court held that a court has authority to authorize the Sterilization of an incompetent person if the sterilization is in the best interest of the patient.

1986: The Employment Opportunities for Disabled Americans Act was passed, allowing recipients of Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance to retain benefits, particularly medical coverage, after they obtain work.

1986: The Handicapped Children's Protection Act of 1986 became law.

1986: The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 was amended to allow the United States Secretary of Labor to provide special certificates to allow an employer to pay less than the minimum wage to individuals whose earning or productive capacity is impaired by age, physical or mental deficiency, or injury.

1988: The Air Carrier Access Act was passed prohibiting Airlines from refusing to serve people with Disabilities and from charging people with Disabilities more for airfare than Non-Disabled Travelers.

1988 – A Deaf President Now Student demonstration was held at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. On March 13 Dr. I. King Jordan was named the first Deaf President of the University.

1988: The Fair Housing Act was amended to protect people with Disabilities from housing discrimination in the areas of rentals, sales, and financing, as outlined in the Civil Rights Act of 1968.

1988: Americans Disabled for Accessible Public Transit (ADAPT) protested inaccessible Greyhound buses.

1988: The Technology-Related Assistance Act for Individuals with Disabilities became law in the U.S., authorizing Federal funding to State projects designed to facilitate access to assistive technology.

1988: The Iowa Supreme Court held that a District Court has jurisdiction to authorize the Sterilization of an incompetent person.

1988: In Honig v. Doe, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the stay-put rule established under the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. School Authorities cannot expel or suspend or otherwise move Disabled Children from the setting agreed upon in the Child's Individualized Education Program (IEP) without a due process hearing.

1989: The President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped was renamed the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.