ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 29, 1993                   TAG: 9312290135
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

U.S. FILES 1ST SUIT TO ENFORCE DISABILITIES ACT

The Justice Department on Tuesday filed its first lawsuit to enforce provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, asking a federal court to strike down sections of an Illinois law that deny pension benefits to disabled police officers and firefighters.

The suit accused Illinois and the Chicago suburb of Aurora of excluding otherwise qualified employees who are disabled from participating in a state-established retirement fund.

Acting Assistant Attorney General James P. Turner, who oversees the Justice Department's civil rights division, said more such suits can be expected now that the Clinton administration and Attorney General Janet Reno have made enforcement of the law a priority. Reno reportedly has authorized the assignment of 12 more employees to the task.

- Los Angeles Times 


 by CNB