transcript  Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board FY25 Annual Report Part 4: Policy Updates Working Group Activities

Policy Updates Working Group Activities

The Policy Updates Working Group provided recommendations to create an accessible, usable, and inclusive digital environment for all Commonwealth of Massachusetts employees and residents to participate in programs, services, and activities. The primary objective and goals for this working group are to:

Policy Updates Working Group Objective

Increase digital equity through the use of inclusive policies and standards for the Executive Department and beyond.

Goals for Policy Updates Working Group

1. Update the Enterprise Digital Accessibility Policy.
2. Create policy-related documentation and requirements for digital assets developed and purchased by the Commonwealth Executive Department.
3. Create a process for policy exceptions and mitigation planning.
4. Create an updated Accessibility Statement for Mass.gov and additional applications.

The Policy Updates Working Group reviewed and revised the Enterprise Digital Accessibility Policy and related documents. This work was informed in part by new regulatory accessibility requirements for web and mobile content under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 USC § 12131 et seq. and the Commonwealth’s ongoing obligations to ensure all persons have equitable access to government services and information. The following steps were completed to update the current Digital Accessibility Policy:

1. Inventoried existing IT-related accessibility policies across the Executive Department.
2. Reviewed the current Enterprise Digital Accessibility Policy and recommended updates to scope, authority, responsibilities, standards, compliance, mitigation planning, policy exceptions, and other procedural requirements.
3. Reviewed and refined initial and subsequent drafts of the revised policy.
4. Shared the revised policy for review and feedback by EOTSS stakeholders including legal and contracts teams.
5. Created initial drafts of a Mitigation Plan template, Exception Request Form, and an Accessibility Statement for Mass.gov.
6. Presented revised Enterprise Digital Accessibility Policy to the Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board for review in June of 2025.

The Policy Updates Working Group plans to accomplish the following in FY26:

1. Publish the revised Enterprise Digital Accessibility Policy on Mass.gov.
2. Publish the revised Accessibility Statement on Mass.gov.
3. Complete and publish all policy-related requirements.
4. Engage with EOTSS Enterprise Risk Management teams and Digital Governance team to establish oversight protocols of policy implementation and tracking metrics.