ADA Amendments Act of 2008
Public Law 110-325 · S. 3406 · 110th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Sep 25, 2008 · Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Sponsor: Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Cosponsors (77): Sen. Orrin Hatch, Sen. Ted Kennedy,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
ADA Amendments Act of 2008 - (Sec. 4) Amends the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) to redefine the term "disability," including by defining "major life activities" and "being regarded as having such an impairment."
Sets forth rules of construction regarding the definition of "disability," including that: (1) such term shall be construed in favor of broad coverage of individuals under the Act; (2) an impairment that substantially limits one major life activity need not limit other major life activities in order to be a disability; (3) an impairment that is episodic or in remission is a disability if it would substantially limit a major life activity when active; and (4) the determination of whether an impairment substantially limits a major life activity shall be made without regard to the ameliorative effects of specified mitigating measures.
(Sec. 5) Prohibits employment discrimination against a qualified individual on the basis of disability. (Current law prohibits employment discrimination against a qualified individual with a disability because of the disability.)
Prohibits the use of qualification standards, employment tests, or other selection criteria based on an individual's uncorrected vision unless the standard, test, or other selection criteria, as used by the covered entity, is shown to be related to the position and is consistent with business necessity.
(Sec. 6) Declares that nothing in the Act: (1) alters the standards for determining eligibility for benefits under state worker's compensation laws or under state and federal disability benefit programs; (2) alters the requirement to make reasonable modifications in policies or procedures, unless such modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the goods, services, facilities, or accommodations involved; or (3) provides the basis for a claim by an individual without a disability that the individual was subject to discrimination because of the individual's lack of disability.
Declares that the authority of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations includes the authority to issue regulations implementing the definitions of this Act.
(Sec. 7) Makes conforming amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Committees
The record shows no committee referral for this bill.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 3195Related bill
ADA Amendments Act of 2008
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.
- Sep 25, 2008Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 110-325.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 23, 2008FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Sep 17, 2008FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 3406.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Miller, George moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- OtherOther · Cleared for White House.
- Sep 15, 2008FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- Sep 11, 2008FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Aug 1, 2008CalendarCalendar · Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 927.
- Jul 31, 2008CalendarCalendar · Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
- CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7956-7957)
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.