FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CRT THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 1995 (202) 616-2765 TDD (202) 514-1888 WASHINGTON BECOMES THE FIRST STATE TO RECEIVE BUILDING CODE CERTIFICATION WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Justice Department certified that the state of Washington's building code meets the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility requirements. Washington is the first state in the nation to receive such certification. Under the ADA's Standards for Accessible Design, newly constructed or altered public and commercial facilities must be built in a way that are accessible to people with disabilities. States may now apply for certification by the Justice Department if their building codes are equivalent to the federal guidelines. "Everyone in the state of Washington - builders, architects, business owners, and the general public will benefit from Washington's new accessibility standards," said Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick. "We hope other states will follow Washington's leadership." Builders will benefit from this new process because it ensures that construction which meets state codes meets the requirements of the ADA. In addition, builders will have additional legal protection in ADA lawsuits if they build in compliance with the certified code. Currently, the Department is reviewing requests for certification from the states of New Mexico, Utah, Florida, and Texas. # # # 95-177