Promising Directions - Tennessee

Disability Days on the Hill Lead to Those "Bathroom Blues"

Imagine going to meet with your state legislator and discovering—now here’s a surprise—that the 2006 multi-million dollar renovations to the Legislative Plaza did not include creating a single accessible restroom. That’s what happened on three separate occasions during Disability Days on the Hill in Nashville, Tennessee. A number of people registered concerns with their lawmakers there and then during the Disability Days, and an individual filed a formal complaint with the United States Department of Justice.

As a result, the State hired a consultant to determine the costs to renovate the bathrooms at Legislative Plaza, and in May 2007 the Governor added an amendment to the budget for $1.75 million to make the bathrooms at the Plaza accessible. Work began in October 2007 to “renovate the Legislative Plaza complex to provide full accessibility for persons with disabilities.” Upon completion of the work, the restrooms and all public areas in the complex will be fully accessible. Phase One involves the restrooms at the base of the escalators in the main hallway of the plaza and the restrooms located at the main entrance to the plaza near the House Finance Committee Office.

Think they’ll get it right this time? The United States Attorneys Office in Nashville is monitoring the renovations being done to Legislative Plaza and involving not only the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, but also disability advocates to assist in providing input to the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the changes they have seen and the changes that still need to be made.

As for the Tennessee Disability Coalition, they plan continued vigilance regarding renovation at Legislative Plaza, working with the United States Attorneys Office as they monitor the renovations, working with the media as renovations are completed, and providing positive feedback, where possible, to State personnel regarding increased accessibility at the Plaza.