Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board
Board Overview
On the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Governor Healey issued Executive Order 614 creating a new Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board.
The purpose of the Board is to strengthen and advance digital accessibility and equity within the Commonwealth. The Board advises the EOTSS Secretary and the CIAO on all aspects of digital accessibility and equity, including but not limited to:
- The establishment, adoption, and maintenance of digital accessibility and equity standards, guidelines, and policies;
- The development of strategies and platforms to promote best practices for digital accessibility and equity;
- The development, in consultation with other executive branch offices and agencies, of procurement policies, contractual standards, and other related documents to promote digital accessibility and equity; and
- The consideration of federal funding opportunities for digital accessibility and equity priorities.
Additionally, the Board is responsible for establishing strategic goals and objectives to support the mission of the Board and identifying priorities to serve as areas of focus for the Board’s work.
Board Composition
The Board is chaired by the CIAO and is composed of representatives from each Executive Office, the Governor’s Office of Access and Opportunity, the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, and the Massachusetts Office on Disability. The Board also includes three appointed members of the public.
Fiscal Year 2025 Board Activities
To support the mission of the Board, working groups were established to carry out activities to further develop and update policies, requirements, and plans to serve as the foundation for the digital accessibility program. The goals and activities for these working groups were predicated on the initial Executive Department accessibility assessment conducted by the CIAO in FY2024. Policy updates, accessibility training, public reporting, and community outreach were identified as strategic initiatives that align with Executive Order 614 in conjunction with providing Commonwealth employees with the knowledge, requirements and accountability to embed accessibility into their day-to-day work activities. Additional working group accomplishments are detailed in the following section.