Summary — HB 25‑1152: "Tech Accessibility Liability Contractor"
Status: Governor Signed (May 24, 2025)
Introduced: January 29, 2025
Classification: Bill
Note: The full bill text was not included with your request. The summary below states the bill's legislative status and sponsors and outlines the bill’s likely purpose and typical provisions suggested by its title, "Tech Accessibility Liability Contractor." For exact statutory language and specific legal obligations, consult the official enrolled bill text or the state legislature’s bill page.
Legislative timeline (key actions)
- Introduced in House (Assigned to Education): 2025-01-29
- Passed House (Third Reading): 2025-02-10
- Referred to Senate Education (Introduced in Senate): 2025-02-12
- Senate committee and floor action with amendments: March–April 2025
- House concurred with Senate amendments and repassed: 2025-04-11
- Signed by legislative leaders: 2025-04-29
- Sent to Governor: 2025-04-30
- Governor signed into law: 2025-05-24
Sponsors
Primary sponsors listed include Janice Marchman, Barbara Kirkmeyer, Meghan Lukens, and Lori Garcia Sander; additional cosponsors include D. Michaelson Jenet, T. Exum, J. Phillips, J. Bacon, I. Jodeh, L. Cutter, J. McCluskie, M. Snyder, J. Gonzales, M. Soper, S. Lieder, M. Duran, J. Coleman, K. Stewart, B. Titone, and C. Clifford.
Purpose (based on title)
The title "Tech Accessibility Liability Contractor" indicates the bill addresses legal responsibility (liability) of contractors who provide technology to the state (or other public entities) for ensuring accessibility — i.e., that digital products and services (websites, mobile apps, software, kiosks, electronic documents) are usable by people with disabilities.
Likely key provisions (interpretive — confirm in bill text)
Because the bill text was not provided, the following describes common components such legislation typically includes. Confirm exact provisions in the enrolled bill.
- Accessibility standards: Requires products/services supplied by contractors to meet specified accessibility standards (often referencing WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA, or state accessibility guidelines).
- Contractor obligations: Places responsibility on contractors to deliver accessible digital technology, perform accessibility testing, remediate defects, and certify compliance.
- Contract clauses: Requires the state’s procurement contracts to include accessibility warranty/representation clauses, inspection rights, and remedies for noncompliance.
- Liability and remedies: Establishes consequences for contractors who fail to meet accessibility requirements — possibly including contract remedies (withholding payment, termination, requirement to fix defects), indemnification obligations, or limits on damages.
- Third‑party content exceptions: May clarify liability when non‑contractor third‑party content/components are involved or when contractors cannot control embedded third‑party elements.
- Remediation timelines: Sets timeframes for notice and correction of accessibility defects and potentially phased compliance schedules for legacy systems.
- Reporting and oversight: May require agencies to document compliance, report incidents/complaints, or maintain accessibility testing records.
- Training and support: Could require contractors to provide training, documentation, and ongoing support to agency staff.
- Effective date and applicability: Specifies when the law takes effect and whether it applies only to new procurements, renewals, or also to existing contracts.
Who is affected
- State and local government agencies that procure technology and digital services (if the bill applies broadly).
- Private vendors, contractors, and subcontractors supplying software, websites, mobile apps, digital documents, or IT services to the state.
- Persons with disabilities and disability advocacy organizations (beneficiaries of improved access).
- Procurement offices — who must update contracts, RFPs, and evaluation criteria.
- IT and legal teams — who must implement testing, certification, and remediation processes.
Potential impact and considerations
- Improves access to government digital services for people with disabilities.
- Increases compliance, testing, and documentation obligations for contractors and procurement offices.
- May raise procurement costs (testing, remediation, certification), but reduce legal risk and accessibility‑related litigation in the long run.
- Contracts will need clearer accessibility clauses and enforcement mechanisms; small vendors may need assistance to meet standards.
- Implementation details (standards, enforcement, exceptions) determine the practical burden and legal exposure for contractors.
Next steps / where to find the full text
To understand the precise requirements, legal duties, and any specific dollar or timeline thresholds, review the enrolled bill text and any legislative fiscal or legal analysis posted by the state legislature or relevant committees.
