Tell California Legislators to Vote No on AB-2190
Would you like access to a website six months later than everyone else? How about three months later? California’s AB-2190 Internet website accessibility bill would reduce consequences for businesses with inaccessible websites if they fix barriers after a delay. Exactly how many days late is still up for debate.
Accepting delayed access means accepting a world where disabled people remain digitally behind, a world where disabled people have to wait months later than everyone else to participate in online courses, apply for jobs, or book appointments. When I go online to pay a bill, I need to do that task that day — not 90 days later.
Access delayed is access denied.
Supporters argue that reducing penalties will motivate fixes. But if businesses design for accessibility from the start, there are no penalties to reduce—and no barriers to fix later. Our laws should encourage businesses to build access from the start, not reward delayed access.
Please don’t give up on our dream of an accessible digital world. Please advocate for websites to be accessible from the start. If you’re in California, please tell your legislators to oppose AB-2190.
Here is the bill text, and here is a blog post by Disability Rights Advocate Mussie Gebre explaining the many problems of this bill: