(a) The department shall prepare, adopt, and enforce regulations governing the construction of public buildings and facilities by or for the state, including the University of Alaska, and its political subdivisions, whether financed in whole or in part by federal funds, to ensure that public buildings and facilities are accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities and by the aged or infirm. The regulations of the department must conform to a standard comparable to applicable provisions of federal law, regulations, and standards.

(b) The department shall develop and maintain an inventory of all public buildings and facilities with respect to their compliance with the regulations adopted under (a) of this section. In addition, the department shall develop cost estimates and recommended priorities for the upgrading of public buildings and facilities that do not conform with the regulations adopted under (a) of this section.

(c) All ferries owned or operated by the state shall be equipped with elevators or other passenger lifting equipment, ramps, or other facilities and devices to ensure that these vessels are accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities and by aged or infirm passengers. In this subsection, “accessible to and usable by” means that a person with a disability or an aged or infirm passenger can board, disembark, and move between decks and about the public areas aboard a state ferry with personal comfort and safety and with safety to other passengers and members of the crew.

(d) After June 25, 1976, a ferry may not be constructed, lengthened, completely renovated, or purchased for use or entered into service by the division of marine transportation of the department as a part of the Alaska marine highway system that does not include adequate facilities and devices to ensure that the vessel is accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities and by aged or infirm passengers. Some staterooms and all restrooms, indoor passageways, outdoor weather decks, and other public areas aboard the vessel shall be so designed and constructed as to permit access and use by persons with disabilities and by aged or infirm passengers, including those persons occupying a wheelchair.

(e) After June 25, 1976, a public building or facility in the state may not be planned, designed, financed, constructed, opened to public use, or otherwise placed in operation unless it meets the standards established under this section. If the standards for a public building or facility are not provided for in federal statute, regulation, or standards, the department shall determine the extent of, and adopt regulations setting the standards for, access to and use of the public building or facility by persons with disabilities and by the aged or infirm.

(f) The department may establish by regulation, and collect reasonable fees for services provided in the course of determining compliance with regulations adopted under this section.

(g) In this section, “public facilities” includes vessels owned by the state and operated by the division of marine transportation of the department as a part of the Alaska marine highway system.