On April 8, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland signed a final rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act clarifying the obligations of state and local governments to make their websites and mobile applications accessible to people with disabilities.
Inaccessible websites and apps often create barriers for people with disabilities seeking to engage with government services, programs, and activities, such as ordering mail-in ballots or obtaining tax information. Under this new rule, government entities must ensure their digital presence complies with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (“WCAG”) 2.1 guidelines within two to three years, depending on population size.
In a statement, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) celebrated the U.S. Department of Justice’s commitment to make progress toward accessibility for all. Said AAPD President and CEO Maria Town, “This rule is a long-awaited recognition that to achieve equal participation in society, as promised by the Americans with Disabilities Act, we must address digital discrimination and inaccessibility.”
Marilyn Tucci, who is blind and serves as the Advocacy Director for the Long Island-based organization Self-Initiated Living Options, Inc. (SILO), echoed this sentiment. “We have been advocating for many years to make websites and apps more accessible for blind people,” she told Able News. “I am hoping companies will do what they must to comply with the law.”