West · CA

California

Draft research · Evidence tier A

California combines state civil-rights and Section 508-based law with a requirement that state entities certify website accessibility every two years.

Initial research category: Enacted law plus recurring accessibility certification

Structured draft values

At a glance

Each card pairs the conservative normalized value with the original research wording.

Enacted state law: Not yet verified
Research or expert verification is still required.
Original research wording
Statute plus administrative implementation — Active.
Mandatory state policy: Not yet verified
Research or expert verification is still required.
Original research wording
Statute plus administrative implementation — Active.
WCAG requirement: Not yet verified
Research or expert verification is still required.
Original research wording
Section 508 and WCAG Level AA practices; individual certifications often specify WCAG 2.1 AA.
Government websites: Yes
The initial research states yes; claim-level source review is still pending.
Original research wording
Yes
Mobile applications: Unclear
Available wording cannot be reduced to one conclusion without inference.
Original research wording
Covered through broader digital duties and federal Title II; explicit state certification emphasis is websites
Electronic documents and PDFs: Unclear
Available wording cannot be reduced to one conclusion without inference.
Original research wording
Yes within electronic information/content obligations
Software, systems, and other ICT: Unclear
Available wording cannot be reduced to one conclusion without inference.
Original research wording
Yes within EIT scope
Accessible procurement: Unclear
Available wording cannot be reduced to one conclusion without inference.
Original research wording
Yes through Section 508-based state duties
Education accessibility: Not yet verified
Research or expert verification is still required.
Original research wording
State entities and funded programs may be covered; verify institution-specific application
Local-government relevance: Federal requirement only
Only the separate federal baseline is explicit in the initial research.
Original research wording
State statutes vary; federal Title II applies.
Funding and implementation: Unclear
Available wording cannot be reduced to one conclusion without inference.
Original research wording
Agency-based; statewide centralized amounts not included in this dataset.
Enforcement and accountability: Not yet verified
Research or expert verification is still required.
Original research wording
Civil-rights mechanisms, litigation, agency remediation, and public certification.

Authority research

Laws, policies, and standards

Primary authority named in the draft

Government Code §§7405, 11135, and 11546.7; AB 434 certification framework.

Instrument type

Statute plus administrative implementation

Current policy status wording

Active.

Technical standard wording

Section 508 and WCAG Level AA practices; individual certifications often specify WCAG 2.1 AA.

Research notes

Implementation and accountability

Funding and implementation

Agency-based; statewide centralized amounts not included in this dataset.

Enforcement and accountability

Civil-rights mechanisms, litigation, agency remediation, and public certification.

Responsible entities named in the draft

California Department of Technology, Department of Rehabilitation, agency directors and CIOs.

Named people or policy architects

Add AB 434 sponsor and signing history during final editorial review.

Clearly labeled analysis

Strengths and research gaps

Draft Atlas analysis: notable strength

Statutory foundation, public certification, civil-rights framework, and procurement relevance.

Unanswered questions and cautions

Certification does not prove every app, PDF, vendor platform, or legacy system is conformant.

Evidence trail

Official and supporting source leads

Reachability does not prove that a source is current, authoritative, accessible, or supports every claim in this profile.

ca.gov/legal/accessibilityResponded at last check
The Phase 0 reachability check received a successful response; authority, currency, accessibility, and claim support remain unverified.
dor.ca.gov/Home/LawsResponded at last check
The Phase 0 reachability check received a successful response; authority, currency, accessibility, and claim support remain unverified.
webstandards.ca.gov/website-accessibilityResponded at last check
The Phase 0 reachability check received a successful response; authority, currency, accessibility, and claim support remain unverified.