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I. INTRODUCTION <br />A. Transition Plan Need and Purpose <br />The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), enacted on July 26, 1990, is a civil rights <br />law prohibiting discrimination against individuals on the basis of disability. ADA <br />consists of five titles outlining protections in the following areas: <br />1. Employment <br />2. State and local government services <br />3. Public accommodations <br />4. Telecommunications <br />5. Miscellaneous Provisions <br />Title II of ADA pertains to the programs, activities and services public entities <br />provide. As a provider of public transportation services and programs, The City of <br />Orono must comply with this section of the Act as it specifically applies to public <br />service agencies. Title II of ADA provides that, "...no qualified individual with a <br />disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be <br />denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be <br />subjected to discrimination by any such entity." (42 USC. Sec. 12132; 28 CFR. Sec. <br />35.130) <br />As required by Title II of ADA, 28 CFR. Part 35 Sec. 35.105 and Sec. 35.150, The City <br />of Orono has conducted a self-evaluation of its facilities within public rights-of-way <br />and has developed this Transition Plan detailing how the organization will ensure <br />that all of those facilities are accessible to all individuals. <br />B. ADA and its Relationship to Other Laws <br />Title II of ADA is companion legislation to two previous federal statutes and <br />regulations: the Architectural Barriers Acts of 1968 and Section 504 of the <br />Rehabilitation Act of 1973. <br />The Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 is a Federal law that requires facilities <br />designed, built, altered or leased with Federal funds to be accessible. The <br />Architectural Barriers Act marks one of the first efforts to ensure access to the built <br />environment. <br />Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a Federal law that protects qualified <br />individuals from discrimination based on their disability. The nondiscrimination <br />requirements of the law apply to employers and organizations that receive financial <br />assistance from any Federal department or agency. Title II of ADA extended this <br />coverage to all state and local government entities, regardless of whether they <br />receive federal funding or not. <br />C. Agency Requirements <br />Under Title II, The City of Orono must meet these general requirements: <br />• Must operate their programs so that, when viewed in their entirety, the <br />Prepared by: Bolton & Menk, Inc. Introduction <br />[Project Title] I [BMI project number] Page 1 <br />