Source: https://www.ada.gov/hidalgo_sa.html
Timestamp: 2018-12-15 19:36:58
Document Index: 56965003

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 12131', '§ 12132', '§ 35', '§ 35', '§ 35', '§ 12131', '§ 35', '§ 12131', '§ 12132', '§ 35', '§ 12132', '§ 35', '§ 35']

﻿ Settlement Agreement between the United States and Hidalgo County
AND HIDALGO COUNTY
DJ # 204-74-359
This settlement agreement (the "Agreement") is entered into between the United States of America and Hidalgo County (collectively, the "Parties").
The United States Department of Justice (the “Department”) opened an investigation of Hidalgo County (the “County”) under title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12131 - 12134, and title II’s implementing regulation, 28 C.F.R. pt. 35, to determine the physical accessibility of County’s polling places to people with mobility and vision disabilities. Title II of the ADA prohibits public entities from excluding individuals with disabilities from participation in or denying them the benefits of the voting program, or subjecting them to discrimination, on the basis of disability. 42 U.S.C. § 12132, 28 C.F.R. §§ 35.130(a), 35.149. Title II also prohibits public entities from selecting facilities to be used as polling places that have the effect of excluding individuals with disabilities from or denying them the benefits of the voting program, or otherwise subjecting them to discrimination. 28 C.F.R. § 35.130(b)(4). Title II requires public entities to administer their services, programs, and activities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities. 28 C.F.R. § 35.130(d).
Hidalgo County is a “public entity” within the meaning of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 12131(1), and 28 C.F.R. § 35.104, and is, therefore, subject to title II of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12131 – 12134, and its implementing regulation, 28 C.F.R. pt. 35.
The County, through its Board of Elections, is responsible for reviewing the accessibility of each polling place and selecting each polling place. The County has 256 voting precincts, currently housed in 78 polling place locations.
In the March 3, 2016 election, the Department surveyed all of the County’s 78 polling place locations. Additionally, the Department surveyed 14 mobile voting locations. The Department found that many of the County’s polling places contain barriers to access for persons with disabilities. The occurrence of any violation is in dispute and the entry of this Settlement Agreement shall not constitute an admission by County of any alleged violations. The Department’s findings are contained in Attachment 1.
Hidalgo County, Texas shall not exclude individuals with disabilities from participation in or deny them the benefits of the voting program, or subject them to discrimination, on the basis of disability. 42 U.S.C. § 12132, 28 C.F.R. §§ 35.130(a), and 35.149. The County shall select facilities to be used as polling places that do not exclude individuals with disabilities from or deny them the benefits of the polling place, or otherwise subject them to discrimination. 42 U.S.C. § 12132; 28 C.F.R. § 35.130(b)(4). The County shall administer its voting program in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of persons with disabilities. 28 C.F.R. § 35.130(d).
For all elections administered by the County and/or facilitated by the County under a full or lease contract, occurring after the Effective Date of this Agreement, the County will implement measures to remediate the violations at polling places identified and as set forth in Attachment 1, to make those polling place locations accessible on Election Day, or will relocate those locations to an alternative accessible location pursuant to the process established in Paragraph 17 of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement limits the County from making ADA-compliant, permanent modifications to its polling place locations instead of providing temporary remedial measures or relocating a polling place location. If remediation as listed on Attachment 1 or relocation to an accessible facility is impossible, as agreed to by the United States, then County agrees to comply with Title II’s program accessibility requirements.
The County will cooperate fully with the United States’ efforts to monitor compliance with this Agreement, including but not limited to, providing the United States with timely access to polling places (including on Election Day), maps, surveys, reports and other requested information.
The County will develop a survey instrument to assess whether a polling place location is or can be made accessible on Election Day. The survey instrument will be based on the 2010 Standards and the United States’ “ADA Checklist for Polling Places” publication. The survey instrument will include a requirement to include photographs and will also require the identification of appropriate remedial provisions, including the remedial provisions in Paragraph 15 of this Agreement. The survey instrument will be submitted to the United States for review and approval within 60 days of the Effective Date of this Agreement. The County shall incorporate in its survey instrument any changes, additions, or modifications proposed by the United States.
For the duration of this Agreement, when the County selects a new polling place location, the County will provide the United States notice within forty-five (45) days of the decision. The County will provide the United States with copies of all surveys (and photographs) conducted within forty-five (45) days of the decision to use the location as a polling place. The United States’ approval must be obtained prior to the location being used in an election. The United States’ approval will be based exclusively on whether the proposed polling place location satisfies the survey instrument referenced in Paragraph 16 of this Agreement.
Prior to each election during the term of this Agreement, as part of its training program for Election Officers and poll workers, the County will provide training concerning temporary remedial measures, including: (a) why such measures are necessary; (b) how the measures must be implemented (e.g., how to install ramps, the placement of mats over (and not in front of) thresholds); and (c) a description of the role of the County’s Election Day Surveyors (EDSs), as set forth in Paragraph 26 of this Agreement, and the need to follow the instructions of the EDSs regarding the implementation of temporary measures on Election Day.
Prior to each election during the term of this Agreement, the County will provide training to all EDSs designated pursuant to Paragraph 26 of this Agreement. The training of the EDSs will address: (a) temporary measures, including why they are needed and how the measures must be implemented (e.g., how to install ramps, the placement of mats over (and not in front of) thresholds); (b) how to resolve errors in the implementation of temporary measures on Election Day; (c) how to document the implementation of temporary measures on Election Day using checklists or compliance review forms referenced in Paragraph 27; and (d) what the EDSs are required to do to implement the requirements of this Agreement.
In the materials provided to each Judge of Election for Election Day, the County will include a checklist of the temporary measures to be implemented on Election Day at each polling place location where such measures are required. The checklist should contain a place for a signature by the Judge of Election that he or she put the temporary measures in place and kept them in place throughout Election Day, from the opening of the polls to their closing, and should be returned to the County along with other election materials. Copies of these checklists will be provided to the United States within forty-five (45).
Beginning with the first election occurring after the Effective Date of this Agreement, and throughout the duration of this Agreement, the County will designate County personnel (or contractors) as EDSs to review compliance at the polling place locations where temporary measures are to be implemented on Election Day. The County and the EDSs will use the checklist developed pursuant to Paragraph 25 of this Agreement to review compliance on Election Day. The EDSs will be required to document their compliance reviews (both compliant and non-compliant polling place locations) with photographs. After documenting a non-compliant polling place location, the EDSs shall remedy any non-compliant implementation of a temporary remedy when possible. Copies of these compliance reviews will be provided to the Department within forty-five (45) days after the election.
1701 West Bus. Hwy. 83, Suite 600
For Hidalgo County, Texas:
Elections@co.hidalgo.tx.us
Valde Guerra
Commissioners Court Executive Office
2818 S. Bus. Hwy 281
valde.guerra@co.hidalgo.tx.us
The United States may review compliance with this Agreement at any time. If the United States believes that the County has failed to comply in a timely manner with any requirement of this Agreement, or that any requirement has been violated, the United States will so notify the County in writing and will attempt to resolve the issue in good faith. If the United States is unable to reach a satisfactory resolution of the issue within ninety (90) days of the date it notifies the County, the United States may file a civil action in federal district court to enforce the terms of this Agreement, or take any other action to enforce Title II of the ADA.
This Agreement will remain in effect until February 1, 2021.
Southern District No. 555957
Dated: 8/30/17
Dated: 8/22/17