As of April 24, 2024, all US state and local government software and IT services (including third-party) are required to comply with WCAG 2.1 AA. Organizations that serve 50,000 or more people have until April 24th, 2027 to comply, while those that serve less than 50,000 have until April 24th, 2026. It can seem like a large undertaking, but don’t worry. We’ll help guide your organization through the process of updating your website or software.
Who needs to comply?
Any website or software that provides information or services to constituents from a US state or local government must comply with the new regulations. This applies both to the government entities themselves, as well as any third-party contractors and software vendors that have government contracts. In other words, the digital services must be compliant, no matter who builds or manages them.
Some examples of US state and local government entities include:
- State agencies
- City governments
- State and local police departments
- Public schools, community colleges, and universities
- Public libraries
- Public hospitals and public healthcare clinics
- Public museums
What needs to be compliant?
The goal of Title II is to ensure that information and services provided by US government entities are accessible to all of the constituents they serve. So, any website or software that provides information or services must comply.
There are a wide variety of services provided to constituents through digital interfaces, including:
Online Payments
- Taxes
- Utilities
- Fines
- Permits
- Parking
Ticket Purchases
- Sporting or cultural events
- Public transportation
- State lotteries
Public Records Access
- Document requests
- Meeting agendas
Educational Services
- School portals
- Online learning platforms
Public Health and Safety
- Emergency alerts
- Health services
Community Engagement
- Surveys
- Volunteer opportunities
Employment Services
- Job applications
- Training programs available to the public
Recreational Services
- Facility reservations
- Program registration
Legal and Judicial Services
- Court records
- Scheduling
- Legal aid services
Also, these services can take a variety of digital forms, including:
- Websites and web apps
- Mobile apps
- PDFs
- Word Documents
- PowerPoint Documents
What are the requirements?
Digital services must comply with the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 (WCAG 2.1), at level AA. These guidelines are organized around four key concepts; that digital products must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for users of any ability.
Some guidelines are relevant to the design of digital products, like color contrast and sensory characteristics, while others are relevant to implementation, like keyboard navigation and screen reader support. Still other guidelines are relevant to content, like subtitles and flash frequency.
The guidelines themselves are fully defined on the W3C WCAG 2.1 requirements page, but a quick guide provides a helpful summary. We know these requirements can look daunting, but there are steps we can help you take to make an organized plan for accessibility adoption.
Additional benefits of compliance
There’s more to digital accessibility than a compliant website. Accessible experiences benefit all users, including your organization.
- Fewer barriers to purchase
- A better site experience for all
- Cheaper to operate long term
- Broaden your user market
- Minimize legal action related to accessibility
- It’s the right thing to do
What happens if we don’t meet accessibility requirements?
It’s very important that your organization complies with the accessibility requirements set forth in the revised Title II of the ADA. Failing to do so by the required date may lead to legal action, fines and/or elimination of 3rd party vendor contracts. While there are a few exceptions, they primarily relate to archived web content or preexisting electronic documents that were available on your digital interface before the date of required compliance, and do not allow major exceptions for organizations and government entities as a whole.
In addition to state and local government entities, 3rd party vendors for these organizations could also face risks if their contract(s) require accessibility, or may even risk losing business with these organizations if they are not compliant.
What should our organization do next? We’re here to help.
Digital accessibility can be a time consuming undertaking that requires detailed planning, budgeting and resources. Start early and allow your organization ample time to audit your services and digital interfaces for accessibility, and ultimately enact changes to meet compliance criteria. Start by partnering with a knowledgeable strategic digital design and development resource that can help guide your organization through this process and set a detailed roadmap to reach key timeline milestones, requirements and budgets.
About Particular Collective
We’re a band of digital savants who are passionate about digital accessibility. We harmonize our skills to craft digital narratives that drive businesses into the future, from strategic roadmaps through design and development. Our leaders are not merely spectators but active participants in every project, collaborating directly with clients, irrespective of project magnitude. Bottom line, we are about you, your business, and about doing the right thing.
We have years of experience in digital accessibility, crafting websites, applications and digital ecosystems that are user friendly, brand-forward, and expertly tailored to meet your audience and business goals.
- We’ll help set your organization up for success. Not only through a beautiful accessible website, but a flexible site that will last for years to come, is easy to edit and manage and will grow with your organization.
- We’ll help support your accessibility efforts and documentation by supplying a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) that translates requirements into actionable testing criteria.
- Our periodic scans and compliance reports will help monitor existing or ongoing accessibility endeavors and set milestones for compliance fixes.
- We also offer ongoing support and maintenance for your websites and digital ecosystems to ensure accessibility compliance stays current and up to date in addition to your overall site health.
Get started with a free consultation with us. We’ll perform a brief audit of your website or application and provide a high level project plan and estimate to meet accessibility requirements. Let’s partner to create a more inclusive digital experience for anyone and everyone.
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