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Colorado Law HB21-1110

Colorado Law Effective July 1, 2024

Colorado House Bill 21-1110 requires higher education institutions in the state to adopt policies and procedures ensuring that digital communications and information technology are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Beginning July 1, this bill makes it a civil rights violation for a government agency to exclude people with disabilities from receiving services or benefits because of a lack of accessibility. At CU Anschutz, it is everyone's responsibility to ensure that the content we create is accessible, providing equal access to digital materials for all.

What does this mean for the university community?

Our campus embodies a culture of commitment and understanding, recognizing that all individuals should be able to access digital content. CU Anschutz actively promotes inclusivity and accessibility for all members of our community, including employees, students, as well as prospective employees and students. In addition, each department, school and college is responsible for making their content accessible. Each campus entity will be responsible for any fines related to accessibility violations identified after July 1, 2024.

The Colorado Governor's Office of Information Technology has established rules regarding accessibility standards. The office has outlined the following penalties for noncompliance:

  • A court order requiring compliance;
  • Monetary damages;
  • Attorney’s fees; or
  • A statutory fine of $3,500 payable to each plaintiff for each violation, who must be someone from the disability community. For example, after the July 1, 2024, deadline, if an individual tries to use a website that is not accessible, the government entity may be subject to a $3,500 statutory fine that is payable to the individual for each violation.

Additional Resources

Faculty

Faculty can comply with Colorado House Bill 21-1110 and ensure digital accessibility in several ways including following accessibility guidelines and standards when creating digital content such as documents, presentations and websites. Use accessibility tools and features available in software applications and learning management systems to ensure that digital content is accessible to individuals with disabilities.

The CU Denver Division for Teaching Innovation and Program Strategy (TIPS) offers workshops and events open to CU Denver faculty. Visit their training website for event details. For instructors using Canvas, Anthology Ally is a valuable tool that enhances the accessibility of course content for both students and instructors. Built into Canvas, Anthology Ally helps improve the accessibility of course materials, ensuring that all students have equal access to learning resources. In August, the team will have a new tool available called SensusAccess to help with document remediation including PDF files.

In addition, our sister campus' CU Boulder Digital Accessibility Office offers resources available for instructors and additional help with Canvas accessibility.

Staff

There are specific actions and guidelines that staff can follow to adhere to the law to take effect on July 1. Our campus community is collectively responsible for ensuring that the technologies we choose, use and create are fully accessible. By taking certain steps, staff can be sure to be in compliance, such as:

  • Use accessible templates for documents, presentations, and other digital content to ensure they are compatible with screen readers and other assistive technologies.
  • Include descriptive alt text for images in documents to provide information to individuals who cannot see them.
  • Caption videos used in presentations and training materials to make them accessible to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The CU Boulder Digital Accessibility Office has numerous resources available to staff including learning to make documents, presentations and meetings accessible. Additional information is available from the following sources:

Web Content Managers: HB21-1110 also focuses on web accessibility. Staff who manage university web content are encouraged to address any web accessibility issues. Web accessibility standards include WCAG 2.1 Level A, AA as minimum compliance standards. Resources available include:

eComm Managers: The CU System eComm program offers tutorials and best practices for Marketing Cloud and Cvent. Visit the CU eComm Wiki for more information. Additional resources include:

Students

Students can contribute to compliance of the law by ensuring that digital content created for classes, projects and presentations are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Engaging with accessibility efforts on campus, including advocating for accessibility within your department and student organizations you participate in, benefits the entire campus community. Refer to resources above for help with learning more about making digital content accessible.

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