| The Rehabilitation Act and Education for Disabled Students. |
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| The Rehabilitation Act was passed to allow full participation in society by individuals with disabilities. The Rehabilitation Act, along with other federal laws such as the Civil Rights Law of 1964, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, guarantees equal access to education for disabled students. More... |
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| The Right to Vote |
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| The right to vote is a "civil right" that is protected by the United States Constitution. In addition, the Voting Rights Act prohibits voting discrimination against all people, including minorities and people with limited English speaking skills.
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| Homosexual Conduct Laws |
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| In 2003, the United States Supreme Court ruled that laws criminalizing acts of sodomy and oral sex between consenting adults of the same gender were unconstitutional because the laws violated the right to privacy. The stunning decision overturned a 1986 decision in which the Supreme Court--by a narrow margin--had upheld a state sodomy law. After the 2003 decision, most states struck down sodomy laws. About a dozen states, however, have kept their "homosexual conduct" laws on the books.
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| The Freedom of Speech During Elections |
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| The freedom of speech is "essential to our democratic ideals." A city cannot ban political candidates from mentioning their opponents in a city voter pamphlet. The First Amendment permits candidates--even ones for judicial offices--to speak out on their party membership or affiliation, as well as on their views on political issues. A state appellate court has ruled that a shopping mall cannot ban a political candidate from soliciting petition signatures on mall property.
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| Coverage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 |
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| The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was enacted to allow full participation in society by individuals with disabilities. The Rehabilitation Act is a federal law that protects qualified individuals with handicaps from discrimination, based solely on their disability, in any federally funded service, program, or activity, including healthcare and employment.
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