Revision: March 30, 2012, midnight
SB 359 – AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
03/21/12 1274s
03/28/12 1460s
2012 SESSION
05/03
SENATE BILL 359
AN ACT relative to civil actions involving accessibility standards for public buildings.
SPONSORS: Sen. Gallus, Dist 1; Sen. Lambert, Dist 13; Rep. Merrick, Coos 2; Rep. Gionet, Graf 3
This bill grants the court discretion to award reasonable attorney’s fees and costs to the prevailing party in an action to enforce accessibility standards for public buildings.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/21/12 1274s
03/28/12 1460s
12-2933
05/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twelve
AN ACT relative to civil actions involving accessibility standards for public buildings.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Accessibility Standards for Public Buildings; Enforcement Actions. Amend RSA 155-A:5-a, V to read as follows:
V. In addition to other enforcement authority granted in this chapter, the protection and advocacy system for New Hampshire, as designated by the governor pursuant to 42 U.S.C. section 15043, shall have standing to enforce the accessibility standards required by this section. If the protection and advocacy system determines that probable cause exists that a public building violates the accessibility certification or inspection requirements of this section, it shall issue a letter to the owner of the building specifically identifying the deficiencies and requesting that the building be brought into compliance. The owner shall have 30 days to respond to the letter and 270 days to bring the building into compliance. If the owner does not respond, does not agree that there are some or all of the deficiencies asserted, does not agree to bring the building into compliance within the specified time periods, or any other dispute remains as to compliance, either the owner or the protection and advocacy system may file an action in the superior court to determine compliance with this section. The protection and advocacy system may bring the action in its name or in the name of any individual with a physical impairment who is adversely affected by the alleged failure to adhere to the accessibility standards of the state building code, or both. If it is determined by the superior court that the building is not in compliance with the accessibility standards in the state building code, the court shall order that the owner bring the building into compliance. [If the protection and advocacy system prevails in such action, it shall be awarded court costs and reasonable attorney's fees from the owner. For purposes of this section, “prevailing” is defined to include a judgment by the court, a consent decree, or instances where the owner agrees to make or makes some or all of the requested changes after the filing date of the action.] At the conclusion of the case, the court shall follow the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, and as construed by federal courts, in awarding costs and attorneys fees to the prevailing party.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.