ITS A LAW THAT MAKES SURE DISABLED PEOE HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS YOU DO AND ITS ONLY BEEN AROUND FOR 20 YES.IN FACT IT WAS SIGNED 20 YEARS AGO TODAY. TODAY.THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITES ACT REGULATES TRANSPORTATION, PARKING, AND EMPLOYMENT FOR DISABLED PEOPLE. NEWS 12S CARTER COYLE SHOWS US HOW THESE LAWS AFFECT PEOPLE AND BUSINESS IN AUGUSTA. AUGUSTA.BUSINESS OWNERS SAY MEETING ADA STANDARDS CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE. DISABLED PEOPLE IN OUR AREA SAY ITS WORTH EVERY PENNY. ROBBIE BRESHEARS WORKS EVERY DAY TO HELP DISABLED PEOPLE LIVE MORE INDEPENDENTLY INDEPENDENTLYto go through my daily life and do what people who do not have a disability are able to do doROBBIE POINTS OUT THE ADA DOES NOT GIVE DISABLED PEOPLE EXTRA PRIVILEDGES PRIVILEDGESit allows people with disablilities the same services that people without disabilities have haveMATT SCHLACHTER IS THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER FOR COLUMBIA COUNTY COUNTYany kind of new construction we do in the county we make sure we comply with all the ada rules we want to be accessible for all the members of the county and that anyone who needs to get into our offices can canSTANDUP: MANY OF TAKE FOR GRANTED EVERY DAY ACTIONS LIKE CROSSING A BUSY STREET WE CAN SEE WHENS ITS SAFE. THOSE WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED MUST RELY ON FEELING WHEN ITS SAFE TO ENTER AN INTERSECTION. INTERSECTION.THESE RED DOMES INDICATE WHEN SIDEWALK HITS ROAD. THIS MONTH COLUMBIA COUNTYS ADDED THEM TO TWELVE INTERSECTIONS AN EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLAR PROJECT PROJECTit does get kind of pricey when youre talking about 3000 dollars for one ramp but its worth it. it keeps people moving it gives them access to the sidewalks its well worth the money moneyCORBIN MCKENZIE WAS RECENTLY HIRED AT THE YMCA ON WHEELER ROAD HE SAYS THEYVE MADE ACCOMODATIONS FOR HIS WHEELCHAIR WHEELCHAIRwithout the Act, I dont believe id be able to get a job jobROBBIE AGREES HE SAYS AFTER TWENTY YEARS, DISABLED CAN PEOPLE FUNCTION EQUALLY IN SOCIETY SOCIETYbefore this piece of legislation...people with disabilities struggled to be able to the basic things A HANDICAP RAMP CAN COST THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS ELEVATORS CAN BE TWENTY THOUSAND. AND YOUR TAX DOLLARS FOOT THE BILL. BILL. WHAT ABOUTHOSE EXPENSES CAN YOU REFUSE TO HIRE SOMEONE JUST BECAUSE IT WOULD COST SO MUCH TO ACCOMODATE THEM? THEM?ACCORDING TO THE ACT, ITS ILLEGAL TO NOT HIRE A QUALIFIED CANDIDATE SIMPLY BECAUSE HE OR SHE DISABLED UNLESS DOING SO WOULD BASICALLY PUT YOU OUT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE OF THE EXTRA COST.THERE ARE OTHER EXCEPTIONS TOO YOU CAN READ ABOUT THEM ON WRDW DOT COM. LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM. CARTER COYLE. NEWS 12. IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ADA AND WHAT THEY DO JUST GO TO THEIR WEBSITE. WEVE LINKED YOU THERE THROUGH THE FIND IT BUTTON ON WRDW DOT COM. HARD TO BELIEVE BUT ITS

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AIRDATE: 07-26-2010
TRANSCRIPT: its a law that makes sure disabled peoe have the same rights you do and its only been around for 20 yes.in fact it was signed 20 years ago today. today.the americans with disabilites act regulates transportation, parking, and employment for disabled people. news 12s carter coyle shows us how these laws affect people and business in augusta. augusta.business owners say meeting ada standards can be very expensive. disabled people in our area say its worth every penny. robbie breshears works every day to help disabled people live more independently independentlyto go through my daily life and do what people who do not have a disability are able to do dorobbie points out the ada does not give disabled people extra priviledges priviledgesit allows people with disablilities the same services that people without disabilities have havematt schlachter is the construction manager for columbia county countyany kind of new construction we do in the county we make sure we comply with all the ada rules we want to be accessible for all the members of the county and that anyone who needs to get into our offices can canstandup: many of take for granted every day actions like crossing a busy street we can see whens its safe. those who are visually impaired must rely on feeling when its safe to enter an intersection. intersection.these red domes indicate when sidewalk hits road. this month columbia countys added them to twelve intersections an eight thousand dollar project projectit does get kind of pricey when youre talking about 3000 dollars for one ramp but its worth it. it keeps people moving it gives them access to the sidewalks its well worth the money moneycorbin mckenzie was recently hired at the ymca on wheeler road he says theyve made accomodations for his wheelchair wheelchairwithout the act, i dont believe id be able to get a job jobrobbie agrees he says after twenty years, disabled can people function equally in society societybefore this piece of legislation...people with disabilities struggled to be able to the basic things a handicap ramp can cost three thousand dollars elevators can be twenty thousand. and your tax dollars foot the bill. bill. what abouthose expenses can you refuse to hire someone just because it would cost so much to accomodate them? them?according to the act, its illegal to not hire a qualified candidate simply because he or she disabled unless doing so would basically put you out of business because of the extra cost.there are other exceptions too you can read about them on wrdw dot com. live in the newsroom. carter coyle. news 12. if you want to learn more about the ada and what they do just go to their website. weve linked you there through the find it button on wrdw dot com. hard to believe but its