2023 -- H 5106

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENTS OF STATE

GOVERNMENT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Vella-Wilkinson, Noret, Hull, Corvese, J Lombardi,
Diaz, Azzinaro, Kazarian, Solomon, and Shanley

     Date Introduced: January 12, 2023

     Referred To: House Innovation, Internet, & Technology

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 42-6 of the General Laws entitled "Departments of State

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Government" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     42-6-16. Website accessibility.

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     (a) State departments enumerated in § 42-6-1 and state boards, divisions, bureaus,

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commissions and agencies shall with newly created or contracted public access websites be

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designed and coded in compliance with the web content accessibility guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1),

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or a subsequent version published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web

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Consortium at a level AA success criteria.

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     (b) Existing public access websites for state departments enumerated in § 42-6-1 and state

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boards, divisions, bureaus, commissions and agencies shall on or before July 1, 2028 design or

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redesign and code or recode existing websites to be in compliance with WCAG 2.1 or a subsequent

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version published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium at a level

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AA success criteria.

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     (c) Upon creation or activation of a website subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of

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this section and on or before July 1, 2028 for a website subject to the provisions of subsection (b)

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of this section, the director of each state department and/or the executive or administrative head of

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each state agency or entity and the information technology project manager assigned pursuant to §

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42-6-15 to manage compliance with the provisions of this section shall post on the home page of

 

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the website a signed certification that the website is in compliance with the standards provided in

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this section.

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     (d) Municipalities are strongly encouraged and recommended to adopt and implement a

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program to make municipal websites more accessible by adoption of standards consistent with the

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provisions of this section.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENTS OF STATE

GOVERNMENT

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     This act would require all newly established public access websites to be in compliance

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with Web Contract Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) for accessibility in compliance with

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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Existing state websites would be required to

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comply no later than July 1, 2028. Municipalities would be strongly encouraged to adopt consistent

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standards with the WCAG 2.1 provisions.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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