ADA Laws for Banking in Missouri

State Law Summary

Federal ADA Requirements (Applies to Most Businesses)

Private businesses in Missouri are primarily regulated under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The two sections of the ADA most relevant to websites are:

• Title II — applies to state and local government services
• Title III — applies to private businesses that serve the public

Under Title III, businesses classified as places of public accommodation must provide equal access to their goods and services. Courts increasingly interpret this requirement to include websites and digital services, especially when a website is connected to a physical location such as a retail store, restaurant, or medical office.

Common industries affected include:

• restaurants
• retail stores
• hotels
• banks
• healthcare providers
• professional services.

The ADA itself does not specify a technical web standard, so most lawsuits and settlements rely on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 or 2.1 Level AA as the practical benchmark for accessible web design.

Missouri businesses have increasingly faced ADA website lawsuits when sites are incompatible with screen readers, lack alternative text for images, or cannot be navigated using a keyboard.

Website Compliance Rules

Missouri Human Rights Act

Missouri also has disability discrimination protections under the Missouri Human Rights Act (MHRA).

The law prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation, including:

• refusing service to individuals with disabilities
• failing to provide reasonable accommodations
• maintaining inaccessible facilities or services.

While the statute does not specifically mention websites, it can apply when a business’s services are inaccessible to individuals with disabilities. In practice, however, most website accessibility lawsuits in Missouri rely primarily on the federal ADA rather than the MHRA.

Damages & Penalties

Missouri Government Website Accessibility Requirements

Missouri has formal accessibility requirements for state government digital systems.

A state statute adopted in 1999 requires accessibility in the development, procurement, maintenance, or use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) used by state agencies.

These standards apply to:

• state agency websites
• government software systems
• digital services and applications
• technology purchased by the state.

Missouri’s accessibility standard is based on Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and WCAG accessibility guidelines.

In 2024 the state updated its ICT accessibility standards to align with WCAG 2.2 A/AA, with implementation beginning in October 2025 and a compliance deadline in April 2026 for government systems.

Accessibility Policies for State Agencies

Missouri government agencies are required to ensure that:

• websites work with screen-reader software
• images include alternative text
• pages can be navigated using a keyboard
• documents and PDFs are accessible.

These accessibility policies apply to public websites, applications, and internal systems used by state employees.

Proposed Missouri Legislation on ADA Website Lawsuits

Missouri lawmakers have recently proposed legislation addressing ADA website litigation.

For example, a proposed bill titled the “Act Against Abusive and Predatory Website Access Litigation” aims to limit lawsuits viewed as exploitative.

Key provisions proposed in the legislation include:

• requiring notice to businesses before filing accessibility lawsuits
• giving businesses time to correct accessibility issues
• allowing courts to penalize lawsuits deemed abusive.

As of 2026, the proposal is still under consideration and not yet enacted.

ADA Website Lawsuits in Missouri

Although Missouri is not one of the highest-volume ADA litigation states, website accessibility lawsuits have been increasing.

Reports indicate that dozens of cases have been filed against Missouri businesses, often by a small number of plaintiffs alleging inaccessible websites.

Typical claims include:

• screen readers cannot read product descriptions
• navigation requires a mouse
• online forms are inaccessible
• checkout processes cannot be completed by blind users.

Many of these cases settle and require businesses to adopt WCAG accessibility policies and remediation plans.