Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 - Detailed breakdown

Authorizes the Attorney General to investigate violations and file civil actions, with courts empowered to order remedies, award damages, and assess civil penalties up to $100,000.

Prohibits employers from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, advancement, compensation, training, and other terms of employment.

Requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of qualified applicants or employees, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the business.

Prohibits employers from conducting medical examinations or inquiring if a job applicant has a disability before a conditional offer of employment is made.

Defines public accommodations to include a wide range of private entities whose operations affect commerce, such as hotels, restaurants, stores, theaters, schools, and recreational facilities.

Directs the Office of Technology Assessment to study the accessibility needs of individuals with disabilities for over-the-road buses and service.

Makes it unlawful to coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any individual exercising their rights under this Act or assisting others in doing so.

Applies the rights and protections against disability discrimination to the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, and other instrumentalities of Congress.

Requires public entities operating fixed-route systems to ensure that new vehicles purchased or leased are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs.

Requires public entities with fixed-route transit systems to provide comparable paratransit or other special transportation services for individuals with disabilities who cannot use the fixed-route service.

Requires intercity and commuter rail services to have at least one accessible passenger car per train and to make key stations accessible to individuals with disabilities over specified timelines.

Requires new public accommodations and commercial facilities to be readily accessible to individuals with disabilities and sets standards for alterations to existing facilities.

Bans discrimination based on disability in public transportation services provided by private entities and establishes accessibility requirements for vehicles.

Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure interstate and intrastate telecommunications relay services are available to hearing-impaired and speech-impaired individuals.

Establishes a clear and comprehensive national mandate to eliminate discrimination against individuals with disabilities in areas like employment, housing, public accommodations, and transportation.

Prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in the full and equal enjoyment of goods, services, and facilities of any place of public accommodation.

Excludes individuals currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs from the definition of 'individual with a disability,' with certain exceptions for those in rehabilitation.