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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

ADA Marks 30 Years of Transforming Lives

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Friday, July 24, 2020   

INDIANAPOLIS - Landmark legislation that changed the lives of millions of Americans is marking its 30th anniversary.

The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26, 1990, and brought civil protections in areas such as workplace discrimination, while also resulting in increased access to public accommodations.

Executive Director of Indiana Disability Rights Melissa Keyes says when it comes to the discrimination of people with disabilities, there are many intersecting variables.

"It's not just disability, it's not just race, it's not just gender," says Keyes. "While all those things are individually important, looking at how those factors intertwine."

Despite advancements, advocates still see challenges with the ADA.

Those include transportation access in rural areas, and new construction not always being in compliance of the law. And they say enforcement isn't always easy.

Keyes contends that moving forward, it's crucial that people with disabilities are more included in shaping the policies that impact their lives.

"We really need to start focusing on the experiences and the voices of the people who are impacted," says Keyes. "And raise their voice up and use that at the decision-making tables, at the grassroots advocacy level, in the policy discussions."

According to state data, about one-in-five Indiana residents age five and older experience some level of disability - mobility disabilities account for most, followed by cognitive disabilities.


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The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

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Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

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Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

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Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

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Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Environment

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New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Social Issues

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Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

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Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

 

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