Compliance Stuff

Background and Legal Framework On April 24, 2024, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) published a final rule in the Federal Register amending its regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). T his rule establishes, for the first time, specific and enforceable technical standards governing the accessibility of digital services provided by state and local governments, including websites and mobile applications. Title II of the ADA has long required that public entities ensure that individuals with disabilities are not excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, governmental services, programs, or activities. The Final Rule clarifies and ensures people with disabilities have access to state and local governments’ services, programs, and activities available on digital services, including websites and mobile apps. Technical Standard for Compliance The Final Rule adopts the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA, w...

Just days before the first compliance deadline (April 24, 2026) for the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) final regulation on website accessibility for state and local governments, the department has extended that deadline by one year, as well as the companion deadline for smaller governmental entities. 0:00 4:35 Quick Hits The DOJ extended the deadline for compliance with the rules on website accessibility for most state and local governments from April 24, 2026, to April 27, 2027 . HHS has not yet acted to provide an additional extension on its website compliance regulation for “recipients” subject to the Rehabilitation Act, but may yet extend that May 2026 deadline. The additional year also lengthens the implied “grace period” that state and local government websites had to conform to the website accessibility rule. In an  interim final rule  published on April 20, 2026, in the  Federal Register , the DOJ justified this deadline based on the significant burdens associ...