DOJ Announces Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Adopt New Design Standards

The Department of Justice has published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to begin the process of revising the Department's ADA regulations to adopt design standards that are consistent with the revised ADA Accessibility Guidelines published by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (also known as the Access Board).

The ANPRM is the first of three steps in the regulatory process. The ANPRM will be followed by a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and a final rule. Members of the public may submit comments until January 28, 2005. Comments may be submitted electronically to http://www.ncpad.org/683/3053/2004-10-01#8, or by mail to P.O. Box 1032, Merrifield, VA 22116-1032. All comments will be available to the public online at http://www.ncpad.org/683/3053/2004-10-01#8 and by appointment at the offices of the Disability Rights Section.

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Physical Inactivity Cost Calculator

Active Living Leadership and Fifty-Plus Lifelong Fitness, with the support of NCPPA and 20 other partner organizations, have launched the free Physical Inactivity Cost Calculator to estimate the costs of physical inactivity that remain a mystery to most businesses and communities.

The new calculator uses a scientific formula based on medical care, workers' compensation, and lost productivity data to estimate a community's or organization's financial costs related to physical inactivity. Decision-makers answer six general demographic questions. The calculator uses these answers to provide an estimate of funds lost due to physically inactive populations. Once costs are calculated, decision-makers can use the Active Living Leadership Web site to learn about a variety of strategies for increasing physical activity and reducing costs incurred by a sedentary population.

Try out the new calculator at http://www.ncpad.org/683/3053/2004-10-01#9