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The Trump administrations first proposed agenda has put website accessibility on the back burner. This means that there will be no new government regulations regarding state and local government websites for the foreseeable future.

This policy change has not slowed the pace of accessibility lawsuits, however. Sayfarth Shaw, LLP reports that website accessibility lawsuits surged to 432 cases in the first eight months of 2017. This is a 65% increase in suits filed compared with 2016. Retailers remain the most popular target for ADA lawsuits with over 50% of reported cases since 2015.

The Bureau of Internet Accessibility contends that a lack of policy direction from the DOJ is likely to spur more accessibility lawsuits in 2017. This makes sense given the uncertainty of website accessibility regulation under the current administration, and the current upward trend in ADA Title III lawsuits.

If you’re a business owner, government agency, or non-profit organization, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with ADA laws, and make sure that your website is compliant with the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. This is the best way to ensure that your website is accessible to people with disabilities– and to avoid a potential lawsuit under ADA title III.

Here are some resources to help you get started:

• What is website accessibility?
• Why is website accessibility important?
• Legal Trends in Website Accessibility – PDF Format
• Getting Started with Website Accessibility