Assistive Listening Knowledge Base
  • Regulatory proposal and explanatory preamble

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities; Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Guidelines: proposed rule

From https://assistivelisteningknowledgebase.org/evidence/access-board-1999-ada-proposal/ · record checked 13 October 2026

  • US Access Board
  • Federal Register 64(220), 62248-62538

Government (US Access Board)

Summary

The historical explanation for replacing the ADA receiver requirement of a flat 4% of seating with a sliding scale.

Key findings

  • The discussion of section 219.3 says the advisory committee recommended a sliding scale based on actual and anecdotal evidence that the existing 4% requirement exceeded demand, especially in large facilities.
  • The proposal retained approximately 4% provision through 500 seats and reduced provision for larger seating capacities.
  • The proposal added a hearing-aid-compatible share of 25% of receivers, with a minimum of two.
  • The preceding discussion notes separate Department of Justice obligations to provide auxiliary aids where needed for effective communication.

Limits

A historical proposal, not the current design standard. The cited discussion supplies no underlying venue sample, lending records or hearing-loss prevalence study for its actual and anecdotal evidence. Its summary percentages should not replace the incremental calculation in the adopted Table 219.3.

Read the original

www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1999-11-16/html/99-29250.htm

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Cited in

Cite this source

US Access Board. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities; Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Guidelines: proposed rule. Federal Register 64(220), 62248-62538. 16 November 1999. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1999-11-16/html/99-29250.htm (accessed 13 October 2026).

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