The Rhode Island Building
Code 23-27.3
Sheltered Care Facilities
23-17.4-6
Public Buildings - Access
for Physically Disabled 37-8-15
Accessibility of leased or
rented facilities 37-8-15.1
Meetings of Public
Agencies 42-46-13
Voter Registration by Mail
17-9.1-9 and 17-9.1-9.1
Voter Registration at
Designated Agencies 17-9.1-8
Priority for Voters with
Disabilities 17-19-52
Nursing Homes--Posting of
Disabilities 23-28.10-2
Housing for the
elderly--Posting of Disabilities 45-26-13
The Director of Transportation must establish standards for the maintenance of
existing sidewalks so that they will be more easily accessible to persons with
disabilities and ensure that all new sidewalks and curbs are accessible.
For more information to file a complaint contact
the:
The Rhode Island Building Code contains the standards for all phases of building,
from construction to alteration to demolition. Two
of the 25 persons serving on the State Building Code Committee must have a disability. The
code addresses issues such as the installation of equipment, use and occupancy, and the
rehabilitation and maintenance of existing buildings.
The code requires all new buildings designed for construction after June of 1977
and those buildings whose renovations cost more than 50% of the building's value to be
accessible. Single family dwellings and storage facilities are exempt. No municipality shall require that a fee be paid
for the construction or repair of an access ramp for disabled persons to a residential
building.
The Building Commissioner is empowered to serve notices of violation to the owners
of buildings that do not meet the state building code.
If the person does not respond to the notice, proceedings to prohibit the use of
the building will begin. The person
responsible for the violation could be sentenced to as much as one (1) year in prison, a
five hundred ($500.00) dollar fine, or both. Each
additional day of violation constitutes a separate offense.
The Building Commission has incorporated ADA Accessibility Guidelines, Federal
Uniform Accessibility Standards, and Fair Housing Accessibility Standards into the RI
Building Code to define the standards for accessible structures. The Building Commission has published a book that
contains the codes for entrances, exits, building facilities, and related accessibility
standards.
For further information or to file a complaint
contact the:
A sheltered care facility that has residents who are blind, deaf, or physically
disabled shall be subject to the requirements of the American National Standards Institute
(ANSI).
To report a violation contact the:
All city, town or state government buildings to be constructed, leased or rented
must be accessible, as defined by the standards of the Rhode Island State Building Code.
To report a violation contact the:
No state agency or quasi governmental board or authority may lease or rent facilities that are not accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. Prior to leasing or renting any facility or renewing a lease: the State Building Commissioner must certify that the facility conforms to the accessibility standard; and will maintain the current standards for accessibility of leased facilities; will require lessor agencies to inform the State Building Commission of locations being considered, clarify the State Building Commission and the Gov. Com. on disabilities’ roles in reviewing and approving code variances and program & employment and access plans.
1.
the State Building Commissioner must certify that
the plans for renovation of the facility conform to the accessibility standard and the
renovations will be completed within six (6) months; or
2.
the Governor’s Commission on Disabilities
grants a waiver from some provisions of the accessibility standard and the State Building
Commissioner certifies that the facility conforms to the remaining provisions of the
accessibility standard.
A
waiver will be granted only if all of the following conditions have been met:
3.
the facility does not prevent any person with a
disability from obtaining access to a state service or program;
4 the
facility would not deny employment or advancement to a person with a disability; and
5 total compliance is not structurally possible.
To report a violation or further information contact
the:
Governor’s Commission on Disabilities
All open meetings of public bodies must be held in locations that are accessible to
people with disabilities. This law applies
only to the actual location of the public meetings; it does not necessarily apply to the
remainder of the building in which the meetings are held.
All public bodies should have complied with this law by July 1, 1990, except for
structural changes. Structural changes were
to have been completed by December 30, 1991. The
State Building Commissioner could extend the time period for good cause. The Governor’s Commission on Disabilities
must approve the transition plans for all school departments and local government
agencies.
To report a violation contact the:
Attorney General's Office, Civil
Division
For more information contact the:
Governor’s Commission on Disabilities
Any person who cannot register in person may register by mail. Requests for mail registration must be accompanied by a physician's certificate that verifies that the person cannot register in person due to illness or disability. Once the request has been received and verified, the local board of canvassers will send the necessary voter registration forms.
To request registration materials contact the:
city or town Board of Canvassers
To file a complaint contact
the:
Any person qualified to vote may register to vote when applying for services or assistance at any of the following offices:
1. any office in the state that provides public assistance;
2. any offices in the state that provide state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities;
3. at armed forces recruitment offices;
4. at such other agencies within the state as determined by the state board.
5. Persons must be provided this opportunity to register to vote not only at the time of their original application for services but also when filing any recertification, renewal, or for a change of address relating to such services.
For further information contact the:
Every polling place in Rhode Island must be accessible to persons who are disabled
(for the purpose of this section means a serious impairment of mobility). The State Board of Elections establishes
guidelines for the accessibility of polling places.
A voting district's board of canvassers may apply to the State Board of Elections
for permission to use a building that does not meet these guidelines. The Board of
Elections may grant an exception if there are no buildings within the voting district that
could meet the requirements without unreasonably expensive renovations. When an exception
is granted, the Board of Elections will provide a location outside the voting district or
an alternative method for qualified persons with disabilities, if they make a request in
advance, to cast their vote.
To request another method to cast your vote contact
the:
city
or town Board of Canvassers at least thirty (30) days before an election.
To file a complaint contact the:
A
person shall be granted priority use of voting booths in two cases (1) obvious medical
disability which, in the opinion of the warden, would cause the voter to experience svere
discomfort by standing in line or (2) a certificate from a licensed hysician attesting
that the voter has a disability which makes his or her standing in line inadvisable. I-n each polling place, these electors shall
designate one voting booth for priority use. Other
voters may use the voting booth when there are no disabled voters waiting to vote. There is now a new law on ballots for voters who
are blind.
Ballots for voters who are
blind or visually impaired 17-19-8.1
Any voter who is
blind or visually impaired or disabled is eligible to request a special ballot for voting
by mail ballot or in person at the polls on election day.
Special ballots are available in Braille or tactile, or other accessible format.
Requests must be
made in writing to the local board of canvassers at least 45 days before the election for
which the voter is requesting the special ballot.
For further information contact the:
city
or town Board of Canvassers
To file a complaint contact the:
Hotel and motel rooms explicitly designed for patrons with disabilities must have
both a visual and audible fire alarm system. Each
hotel or motel must have at least one sleeping room with a visual alarm. In hotels with forty (40) or more rooms, the Rhode
Island State Building Code requires that five percent (5%) of the rooms must have visual
fire alarm systems. In addition, a fire alarm system shall be installed in all health care
facilities.
To report a violation contact the:
Nursing home rooms that are occupied by clients with disabilities must be
identified as such on the doors of the rooms. These
signs must indicate the type of disability so that firefighters will be informed properly
in the event of an emergency.
To report a violation contact the:
The managing authority of a housing project for the elderly is required to post a
notice of disability on or near the exterior door of any tenant who requests it. This notice should be designed so that it will be
immediately noticed and understood in the event of an emergency or evacuation. The local fire authorities are responsible for
enforcing this law.
To report a violation contact the:
INDEX:
Priority for Voters with Disabilities
Voter Registration at Designated Agencies
Nursing Home - Posting of Disabilities
Handicapped accessibility of leased or rented facilities
Access for Physically Disabled
Housing for the Elderly - Posting of Disabilities
Government buildings Accessibility
Housing for the Elderly Posting of Disabilities
Nursing Homes Posting of DisabilitiesNursing Homes--Posting of Disabilities
Posting of Disabilities Housing for the Elderly
Public Buildings Access for Physically Disabled
Rhode Island Building Commission
Rhode Island State Building CommissionThe Rhode Island Building Code The Rhode Island Building Code
Sheltered Care Facilities--Accessibility
Visual Fire AlarmsVisual Fire Alarms
Voter Registration at Designated AgenciesVoter Registration at Designated Agencies