US Disability - 2000-2009

Key Events regarding Disability in the US: 2000 to 2010:

2000: The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 became law.

2001: The Commonwealth of Virginia House of Delegates approved a resolution expressing regret for its eugenics practices between 1924 and 1979.

2002: The New Freedom Commission on Mental Health was established by U.S. President George W. Bush through Executive Order 13263 on April 29, 2002 to conduct a comprehensive study of the U.S. mental health service delivery system and make recommendations based on its findings.

2002:  The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) became law in the U.S., and it required voting "systems" to be accessible for all those with Disabilities, including special assistance for Blind or otherwise visually impaired voters.

2003: The Disability History Association was founded; it is an affiliated society of the American History Association.

2004: The Assistive Technology Act of 2004 required States to provide direct aid to individuals with Disabilities to ensure they have access to the technology they need. As a result, the majority of State efforts are required to be conducted in the following areas: assistive technology reutilization programs, assistive technology demonstration programs, alternative financing programs and device loan programs.

2004: President George W. Bush signed into law the "Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act," Public Law 108-406. The bill authorized funding for its Healthy Athletes, Education, and Worldwide Expansion programs.

2004: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) became law; it is a United States law that mandates equity, accountability and excellence in education for children with Disabilities.

2005:  In Spector v. Norwegian Cruise Line Ltd., the U.S. Supreme Court held that Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act applied to foreign-flagged cruise ships in U.S. waters.

2005: Peggy S. Salters, from South Carolina, became the first Survivor of Electroshock Treatment in the United States to win a Jury verdict and a large money judgment ($635,177) in compensation for extensive permanent amnesia and cognitive disability caused by the procedure.

2006: it was announced that after nearly 5 years, Duane Reade, a chain of drugstores primarily located in New York City, finally agreed to settle with Disabled In Action to make all of its stores ADA-compliant.

2006: In United States v. Georgia, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the protection of the Americans with Disabilities Act extends to persons held in a State Prison and protects Prison Inmates from discrimination on the basis of Disability by Prison Personnel.

2007: Jonathan's Law is the "popular name" of the amendments to New York Mental Hygiene Law Article 33. Jonathan's Law, a New York statute, was signed into law in May 2007; it entitles Parents and legal Guardians access to all child abuse investigation files and medical history records.

2008: The Washington, D.C. District Court decided that the Treasury must "take such steps as may be required to provide meaningful access to United States currency for Blind and other visually impaired persons," siding with the American Council of the Blind.

2008: The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 became law, and it broadened the scope of who is considered disabled under the law, and when considering whether a person is Disabled, the law required that people ignore the beneficial effects of any mitigating measures (except ordinary eyeglasses and contact lenses) the person uses; furthermore, when considering whether a person is substantially limited in a major life activity, which would make them disabled under the law, the law required the consideration of bodily functions as well as other major life activities, and having one major life activity substantially limited is enough; when considering whether a person whose condition is episodic or in remission is substantially limited in a major life activity, the law required the consideration of the person's limitations as they are when the condition is in an active state; furthermore, determining someone is disabled under the law does not require individuals to meet the substantially-limited-in-a-major-life-activity standard, but does not include impairments that are transitory and minor.

2008: The Maryland Fitness and Athletics Equity for Students with Disabilities Act became law, which made Maryland the first state to require schools to provide equal physical education and athletic opportunities for students with Disabilities. It is called Tatyana's Law.

2009:  The Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act became law in the U.S. It was the first piece of comprehensive legislation aimed at improving the lives of Americans living with Paralysis; it created new coordinated research activities through the National Institutes of Health to search for a cure for Paralysis, and promotes enhanced rehabilitation services for Americans living with Paralysis.