U.S. Access Board USAB

Section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act, signed on September 26, 1973, created the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, now known as the U.S. Access Board, to make sure that buildings built or funded by the federal government could be used by people with disabilities, as required by the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968. Its 25 members include 13 private citizens appointed by the President, most of whom must have disabilities, and 12 representatives of federal departments.

The Board writes the accessibility guidelines that underpin federal disability law. Its ADA Accessibility Guidelines, first issued in 1991, are the basis for the enforceable standards that the Justice and Transportation Departments apply to stores, offices, schools, transit, and public facilities nationwide, covering ramps, entrances, restrooms, parking, and signage. It also sets standards for accessible information technology bought by federal agencies under Section 508, for buses, trains, and transit stations, for medical diagnostic equipment, and, since 2023, for sidewalks and street crossings. It enforces the Architectural Barriers Act through complaints about federally funded facilities.

Because most of its guidelines become binding only when other agencies adopt them, the Board often works for years before rules take effect, and updates can be slowed by cost concerns from businesses and governments. Its newer work on digital accessibility, self-service kiosks, and autonomous vehicles reflects the spread of disability rights into technology. Supporters say clear technical standards make the promise of the ADA concrete, while some businesses and local governments say the requirements can be costly and complex to meet.