ADA Title II Deadline Extended
You may have learned that the federal Department of Justice (USADOJ) has released an
Interim Final Rule (IFR) extending the compliance date for its 2024 ADA Title II rule. The IFR changes the deadline for large state agencies from April 24th, 2026 to
April 26th, 2027. This is a one-year extension on meeting the technical standard outlined in the rule. (Smaller entities with less than 50,000 constituents also have a one-year extension, until April 24th, 2028).
This IFR is was published on Monday April, 20th and allows state agencies more time to build and scale their digital accessibility programs. It shouldn’t stop their progress and momentum. At OHA and ODHS, our digital accessibility policy implementation was already scheduled to extend through Spring 2027 – so this change in the deadline won’t affect our
policy implementation roadmap.
Many state employees may be breathing a sigh of relief in view of this extended timeline. The original federal compliance date was challenging. More time to meet the rule can feel like a welcome reprieve.
However, it’s important to note that the rule is still in effect – the compliance date has simply been moved by a year. Public entities should make good use of this time by continuing to build on the accessibility improvements of the past two years, not by allowing our efforts to falter.
Employees at OHA and ODHS should also remember that our agency policies are still in effect, specifying conformance with
WCAG 2.2, Levels A and AA. These agency policies are not impacted by the federal date change.
Digital accessibility is a necessary and achievable goal for state agencies, and our agency leadership at OHA and ODHS remain committed to achieving that goal. Accessible websites and digital documents improve access to state services and information, not just for people with disabilities, but for everyone.
The Digital Accessibility Team at OHA is proud of the work that our team, and other teams around the state, have done to improve the accessibility of state resources for all Oregonians. Let’s keep up the good work!