BUREAUCRACY BUSTER
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Q: Who would I contact to find out who enforces the law concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act?
A: The U.S. Department of Justice is the primary agency that enforces the ADA, a federal civil rights law requiring equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, government services, and telecommunications. Some ADA
issues also may fall under the jurisdiction of other federal agencies, including the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Federal Communications Commission and Department of Transportation.
To find out more about how and where to file a complaint, or whether the discrimination falls under the ADA, contact state Disability and Communication Access Board at 586-8121 or accesshi@aloha.net. You can find a list of more advocacy, legal and other resources on the board's site: www.hawaii.gov/health /dcab/.
Q: The $100 fine appears to be an effective deterrent in preventing people from smoking in restaurants.
However, as a waitress, I have a few questions regarding the ordinance. If someone is caught smoking, who is fined? Is it the individual violator or restaurant? How is the violator cited? Have there been any violations reported since the ordinance was approved?
A: The Honolulu Police Department enforces the no-smoking ordinance and has said it will not issue a citation unless a person is seen smoking. Smokers can be fined a maximum of $100 for the first violation; the restaurant is not fined. But if a restaurant refuses to post No Smoking signs, as required, the city Department of Planning and Permitting will issue a violation notice to comply within 10 days or face a fine.
City officials say there has been only one violation issued, to a restaurant, and the violation was corrected. To report a sign violation, call the Department of Planning and Permitting at 527-6341.
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Do you ever get frustrated or confused trying to navigate layers of government? Are you looking for an answer to a simple question but can't figure out where to start?
If you have a question or problem and need help getting to the right person, you can reach The Bureaucracy Buster in three ways:
• Write to:
The Bureaucracy Buster,
The Honolulu Advertiser,
605 Kapi'olani Blvd.,
Honolulu, HI 96813.
• e-mail: buster@honoluluadvertiser.com
• Phone: 535-2454 and leave a message.
Be sure to give us your name and daytime telephone number in case we need more information.
