Congressman Mark DeSaulnier and Congressman Don Young announced bipartisan legislation to make exercise equipment and fitness classes accessible to individuals with disabilities.
The Exercise and Fitness for All Act (H.R. 4561) would require the Department of Justice to develop guidelines for what changes need to be made to equipment and services for exercise facilities to be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
“Far too many adults with disabilities cannot get the exercise they need to live healthy lives simply because gyms do not have the necessary equipment,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “I am proud to sponsor this bill with Congressman Young to create a bipartisan solution and ensure the promise of the ADA is met.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 61 million adults in the United States have a disability. These Americans are three times more likely to experience serious health problems such as a heart attack or stroke.
While the CDC recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity as a means of reducing these threats, no guidelines currently exist for fitness centers to make this exercise possible for individuals with disabilities. A 2014 CDC study found that 47 percent of adults with a disability got no aerobic physical activity with another 22 percent getting some.
44 comments
Like ADA isn’t already plenty strong enough, with significant penalties for non-compliance.
What imaginary problem will Mark solve next?
This is what our representative is working on?
Meanwhile homeless wherever they are given the chance, drug abuse and addition is out of control, and we are still sending our troops all over the world under the guise of fighting terrorism.
Mark, you should pass a law that bans you from passing dumb laws. Go back to bartending. This district deserves new representation.
Would be nice to be able to write off exercise equipment on taxes if a doctor prescribes it. Anyone?…
Not with trump’s tax changes.
Ozzie,get some help,you are obsessed with Trump.you mention him everywhere you comment,when it’s nothing to do with Trump.Your subconscious admiration for him is quite obvious.
Welcome aboard.
And you can use a medical FSA for a prescribed gym membership and equipment.
Ozzie, like most “smart” liberals, knows nothing about taxes or economics in general.
Just look at those idiot Dems running for president….
This bill is exactly what we need for CA and the U.S. to be a strong nation and to survive into the next century. Thank you for this much needed proposition….(sarcasm). This state is doomed with this wasteful time and energy of nothing produced from our “leadership”, or rather representatives
As a disabled person who would benefit from this, even I can see this regulation will have the opposite effect, making it more expensive to provide this kind of service to everyone will serve as a barrier to entry for providers.
meanwhile… Newscum want to eliminate PE in schools cause of snowflakeism.
I haven’t heard he wants to eliminate P.E. But he does want to eliminate fitness testing because the standards are male and female. I guess he never took a biology or anatomy class.
Sounds like a “do gooder law” for publicity sake and show “I’m doing something.” Better solution would be to offer tax incentives if a fitness center adds such support. Otherwise the cost may drive some centers out of business because they can’t afford the modification to support a minority of the populace. Another idea might be to fund community run centers specifically designed for people with disabilities.
How about for low income section 8 individuals?
They already get everything for free anyways. Why do I need to keep paying more and more for folks who only take and take?
Please vote this guy out of office. There is a Republican and a Green running against him in the upcoming election.
Once again, I am totally in favor of helping people with special needs. However, I don’t think Mark’s statement that “gyms do not have the necessary equipment” is necessarily true. I joined a gym about a month ago and attended an orientation program to learn how to use the equipment. Another person in our group was an older man who appeared to have suffered a stroke and relied on a cane. His wife was also there to assist him. The trainer showed us all of the equipment and demonstrated various ways to use it safely, depending on each persons’ ability. Several years ago, I used a different gym which had a pool. The pool was equipped with a mechanized chair to be used by a people who are unable to get in and out of the pool themselves. I also seem to remember that there were special classes offered for seniors or those with limited ability. Neither of these gyms were “high-end” or exclusive. Just the regular chain gyms that you see advertised. Actually, I think there may even be similar classes through City Parks & Rec. Once again we see Mark serving up a pablum solution in search of a non-existent problem. I know Dems love to pander and use certain groups to promote themselves, But, please do not try to use the most vulnerable to further your own career.
More proof CA needs a part-time legislature. Those two have way too much free time.
This crazy bill will lead to even more frivolous lawsuits. I’m going to sue a gym
because I can’t use a treadmill or stair climber because I can’t get my wheelchair on it.
HAHAHA!! Excellent!
Well dirt nap , this is the US house . Not Ca legislature. Young is one of the most crooked people in the house. You can bet there is a campaign contribution in here sonewhere.
Spot on.
Follow “The Exercise and Fitness for All Act (H.R. 4561)” money. Someone (Marky) is getting greased.
Since 99.9% of exercise equipment is made in Taiwan or China, how about a stipulation that this be MADE IN THE USA only?
Another worthless effort by your favorite bartender not named AOC.
Agree.
Meanwhile, if you try to donate a treadmill or exercise bike most donation places won’t take them.
I haven’t heard he wants to eliminate P.E. But he does want to eliminate fitness testing because the standards are male and female. I guess he never took a biology or anatomy class.
Always negative, always threatening, never looking for solutions that resolve potential issues. There are people who know how to broker resolutions to enhance people’s lives without lazily adding another layer of government red tape, another cost to doing business, another tax to be passed on…but not this guy.
As Rome burns the DOLT Dipslacker fiddles.
Sadly, the truth.
I am waiting for an ADA bill to require an elevator to be installed to the top of El Capitan in Yosemite.
Also, when will there be a bill passed to require the legislature to install facilities at the capitol for the mentally handicapped like desaulnier?
MMBA – Make Mark Bartend Again
Time to have Mark live in Concord full time again.
Here we go they’re gonna drive all the small gyms out of business, They will have to spend tens of thousands of dollars on equipment so 2 or 3 people can join at $40 a month,
How about making at least 5-6 hrs. Per week of physical education mandatory to graduate from junior high and high school? I see nothing but fat lazy kids who will be tomorrows Cardiac patients!
Do it for “the children”!
Corporate gums will comply and the independent gyms will get sued out of business?
Along with sinking the excellent independent gyms, low end lawyers (but I’d be repeating myself) will be finding tiny little loopholes in the bill and using them to file extortion lawsuits against the remaining gyms. Nobody wins; typical for democrat politicians. (I know nothing of this Don Young.)
What’s the estimated compliance cost?
I keep looking at what Mark does for CA and I can’t help but wonder what the difference would be if there was no representation at all?
‘Earth to Mark, Earth to Mark, do you hear us, do you hear us….are you out there? You’re in a dangerous crazy left orbit!
“no” vote. the poster above is correct. i been a member of chain gyms since the 80’s and they have always had a large clientele of seniors and disabled which there were swimming classes for, special showers, etc. I believe it is the law and whether it is or is not the law, these gyms believe in exercise for everyone. i don’t think i can stand another 4 years of mark.
Some folks might want to check out Mark and see what he’s elected to and how long he’s elected for.
Civics 101. Check it out.
If this bill passes, gyms would have to hire someone with a degree in kinesiology or physical therapy to properly advise and monitor physically disabled patrons. And I’m sure insurance would go up the roof. Mark is up for election again. Our chance to get rid of this idiot.
He’s up for re-election. Vote him out.
Vote for Nisha Sharma
I hope everyone remembers this on November 3rd
When this gentleman comes up from re-election
It time the clean house in Washington.
Who is going to pay for all of these changes? If the law applies to all gyms then only the large corporate gyms will survive. I cannot imagine my local gym being able to afford this AND there are gyms where the ADA is already in place. What a waste! Is there nothing more to work on? How about endless traffic? The homeless? The homeless? The junkies in the streets robbing taxpayers of everything with impunity! How about that? Mark, ate you living in the same planet as your constituents? Because it really doesn’t look like you live here at all.
Mark, you are so not getting re-elected
Who is going to pay for all of these changes? If the law applies to all gyms then only the large corporate gyms will survive. I cannot imagine my local gym being able to afford this AND there are gyms where the ADA is already in place. What a waste! Is there nothing more to work on? How about endless traffic? The homeless? The homeless? The junkies in the streets robbing taxpayers of everything with impunity! How about that? Mark, are you living on the same planet as your constituents? Because it really doesn’t look like you live here at all.
Sounds like marky is introducing this legislation to ensure getting donations from those corporations.
No surprise.
Go back to making bad drinks…
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