Senate Bill 1406 and a striker amendment related to accessible parking issues were unanimously passed by the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, March 29. Unfortunately, before passage, the bill was amended to include language that allows businesses to take a wait and see approach to website accessibility.
While a number of federal courts have ruled that businesses must make their websites accessible and countless other companies have recognized cyber accessibility as good business, some members of the Arizona Legislature feel that state law should exclude website accessibility entirely. The language in the amendment states that websites are excluded from accessibility requirements until the Americans with Disabilities Act is amended to include this requirement, or until the United States Supreme Court rules that it is required.
NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT!
Nearly 200,000 blind or visually impaired Arizonans and millions across the United States have access to news, information and services they need when businesses ensure their websites are accessible. SB1406 as amended will go to the floor of the House for a vote very quickly. It is essential that you contact your Representatives in the Arizona House to let them know how you feel.
Not sure who your Representatives are? Go hear to find out.
Visit this link to contact your Representatives in the Arizona House of Representatives.
Below is sample text that you can edit and use when emailing your Representatives.
As a member of the disability community, I oppose the website amendment to Representative Shooter’s Strike-all amendment (SB1406) because it says that Arizona businesses can wait to make their websites accessible and usable by people with disabilities until Congress amends the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Supreme Court rules on this issue.
Here are some points that I think are important:
- The ADA covers websites now and does not need to be amended.
- Numerous federal courts and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) concluded private businesses open to the public must make their websites accessible.
- There is no pending case before the U..S. Supreme Court to hear this matter and there is no guarantee the Court will ever rule on this issue.
- The Arizonans with Disabilities Act should extend the same legal rights and obligations to the disability community as the ADA.
- Knowledgeable website developers know how to make websites accessible and DOJ has identified acceptable standards for website accessibility.
- I use the websites of private businesses open to the public to [add you own examples such as buy a new pair of shoes, pay a bill, book an appointment, request a taxi, order groceries online, etc].
- Please vote “no” on the website amendment as if your own access to the website depended upon it.
- The disability community wants the same access as others.
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Arizona Disability Coalition
PO Box 46354 Phoenix AZ 85063
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