Electronic Document Guidelines
What does that mean?
On April 24, 2024 the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced new rules to make websites and mobile apps accessible for people with disabilities.
The new rules require state and local governments to comply with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Title II requires online services to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA guidelines to ensure access to online services for people with disabilities.
What is covered by the new rules?
The DOJ wants state and local governments to prioritize websites, electronic documents, and apps that provide access to current information and services. This applies to both websites maintained directly by government staff and sites maintained by third-party vendors.
The new rules cover online services:
- Maintained directly by State employees
- All State online services maintained by third-party vendors/providers
Documents that must meet the new rules include:
- State websites and mobile applications
- All State electronic documents or websites that provide current information or services
- All electronic documents published by the State
- PDFs
- Any electronic document people use to get/receive a State benefit or service, e.g., an application form in PDF or Microsoft Word or Smartsheet
- Note: Some electronic documents are exempt from the new rules (to Exemptions).
Scope
Target all electronic documents within your domain, with your primary focus being PDFs. To narrow that focus further, it is the absolute priority of every state unit of government to ensure that all transactional documents (the ones that are used to get a benefit or a service) are accessible by the ADA Title Il deadline.
