Web Accessibility Legislation in Colorado

See how your website stacks up compared to web accessibility legislation in Colorado.

An Overview of Legislation in Colorado

In July 2021, Colorado passed House Bill (HB) 21-1110, which requires state and local public entities to meet established website accessibility standards. In addition, the law states that government websites must provide accommodations for people with disabilities.

HB 21-1110 is unique compared to other accessibility laws. It includes some strict regulations and penalties explicitly created for non-compliance in Colorado. Government websites were required to submit their website accessibility plans to Colorado’s Office of Information Technology by July 1, 2022, and must implement these by July 1, 2024.

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The information in this article is made available by Monsido ApS and/or its subsidiaries and affiliates and is for informational purposes only so as to provide its customers with a general understanding of current legal developments. It should not be construed as providing specific legal advice, and you acknowledge that no attorney/client relationship exists between you or any third party and Monsido ApS and/or its subsidiaries and affiliates. This article should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed lawyer in your jurisdiction.

What You Need To Know About Web Accessibility In Colorado

What is House Bill (HB) 21-1110?

HB 21-1110 specifies timelines for Colorado state agencies to implement and submit their accessibility plans. In addition, the bill provides impacted citizens with easier ways to address noncompliance via state courts. Noncompliant agencies can be expected to face consequences such as court orders, fines, or other damages.
Are there any other requirements related to House Bill (HB) 21-1110?

As with all acts and laws related to digital accessibility, House Bill 21-1110 is based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The principles set out by these guidelines can be very useful when fixing website issues and creating new content, and affirms that websites must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.
Who does House Bill (HB) 21-1110 apply to?

The law requires state and local public entities to meet established website accessibility standards. Colorado has more than 4,000 active local governments that must follow HB 21-1110.
What are the penalties for non-conformance?

By July 1, 2024, every state agency website must comply with the OIT accessibility standards and follow the latest version of the WCAG 2.1. If a website hasn’t adhered to these standards by this time, there are three possible punishments:

A Few Landmark Website Accessibility Cases in Colorado

United States

Blanchard Family Wines

A Colorado culinary business has been hit with an ADA-Compliance Lawsuit claiming that their website is not fully accessible for visually impaired users.

United States

Afterhours Inc.

On July 28, 2020, a complaint was filed against Afterhours, Inc., alleging that their website is not accessible per the WCAG 2.1 accessibility standard(s).

United States

Opensided MRI

A complaint was made in Colorado Federal court against Opensided MRI of Denver LLC alleging that their website is not accessible per the WCAG 2.1 accessibility standard(s).