Web Accessibility

Legislation in Virginia

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

An Overview of Legislation in Virginia

All state agencies, colleges, and universities in Virginia must comply with Section 508 web accessibility requirements. In addition to this, further design rules or guidelines may be set by the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA).

508 accessibility standards apply to the state of Virginia’s full range of public-facing content, including websites, documents and media, blog posts, and social media sites.

Virginia’s Information Technology Access Act defines ‘‘access’’ as the ability to receive, use, and manipulate data and operate controls included in information technology.

Disclaimer

The information in this article is made available by Acquia Inc. 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 Acquia Inc. 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 Virginia

Are there any other requirements related to web accessibility law in Virginia?
VITA has quite specific closed captioning requirements. Their web standards state that:

"Captions must allow Web audio and video to be perceivable to those who do not have access to audio, and understandable to a wider audience. Section 508 [1194.22 (b)], which is a part of the Virginia Web Site Standard, states that, “Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.”
Who do Virginia’s accessibility laws apply to?
Updated Section 508 accessibility standards apply to all Virginia state agencies, colleges, and universities.
All public-facing businesses with an online presence are required to comply with web accessibility standards and guidelines in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
What are the penalties for non-conformance?
The 1998 amendment of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 states that websites that are not accessible to persons with disabilities will face civil action. It is important to note, however, that an exemption exists for instances where compliance would cause an undue burden (i.e. financial hardship).