How are you approaching the EAA and AB 1757?
First, I won’t blame you if you’re like “What the heck are EAA and AB 1757?”. EAA is the European Accessibility Act. AB 1757 is a proposed law in California.
AFixt offers the complete array of services necessary to comply with both. From audits & training to remediation and strategic consulting, we offer the true white-glove approach to digital accessibility. Here’s what you need to know about both:
In less than 1 year, companies operating in the EU will need to comply with the European Accessibility Act. This includes companies who do any kind of business in an EU member state, regardless of whether they have a physical presence in the EU. The onus for compliance depends
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) allows EU member states to impose fines for non-compliance with the law, which can range from €20,000 to 5% of a company's annual global turnover. The exact penalty depends on the legislation enacted by each member state. In a worst-case scenario, a company can be barred from operating in the EU.
California's AB 1757 is not yet finalized, but it has made it to the Appropriations Committee.
Here are a few important features of AB 1757:
AB 1757 mandates compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, whereas the ADA does not specify a particular standard for web accessibility.
AB 1757 applies to any business with a website or mobile application accessed in California, making it broadly applicable to numerous businesses regardless of their physical location.
AB 1757 allows plaintiffs to recover statutory damages if they encounter barriers that prevent equal access to a website or if they are deterred from using the website due to its inaccessibility.
AB 1757 emphasizes the requirement for websites to provide equally effective communication, facilitating full and equal enjoyment of goods and services. This creates a more stringent expectation for digital accessibility than the general "effective communication" standard under the ADA.
The bill specifies that both business owners and third-party developers can be held liable for non-compliance. This extends the responsibility for accessibility beyond the immediate business to include contractors and service providers.
AB 1757 does not provide a transition period for businesses to comply with its requirements.
AB 1757 requires that if an entity relies on third-party content on its website, it must ensure that the third-party content also complies with WCAG 2.1 standards.
Although there are many people who consider AB 1757 to be “overreaching” there’s one important takeaway: some form of it will become a law and it has national implications. If you have one customer in California, you must comply.
Let AFixt help you. Just reply to this email to find out how.
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