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Bill Seeks To Make Ohio Restrooms More Accessible

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An Ohio lawmaker is calling on the state to require more places to have adult changing tables in restrooms.

Sen. Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering) wants to require large gathering spaces, such as stadiums and museums, to provide a changing table in their restrooms that can bear the weight of pre-teens to adults.

Lehner says the lack of these changing tables in public places limits where people with developmental disabilities can go.

"When a person, a child, with a disability can't go out because of the inability to take care of personal hygiene issues, their family can't go out either, mother, dad, brother and sisters," says Lehner.

The bill, SB249, would only apply to new construction and major renovations.

The measure has been introduced in the Senate twice before without passing.

Copyright 2019 The Statehouse News Bureau

Andy Chow is a general assignment state government reporter who focuses on environmental, energy, agriculture, and education-related issues. He started his journalism career as an associate producer with ABC 6/FOX 28 in Columbus before becoming a producer with WBNS 10TV.