ADA Laws for outpatient surgery centers in Texas

State Law Summary

Texas Does Not Have a Specific Law Requiring Private Business Websites to Be Accessible

Texas does not have a state statute that explicitly requires private business websites to meet accessibility standards.

Instead, accessibility obligations for most businesses come from the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Two ADA sections are typically involved:

• Title II – applies to state and local government entities
• 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 the website is connected to a physical business location.

Businesses commonly covered include:

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

Most website accessibility lawsuits in Texas claim that barriers prevent users with disabilities from accessing online services.

Common barriers cited in legal complaints include:

• missing alt text for images
• inaccessible checkout or contact forms
• keyboard navigation failures
• low color contrast
• incompatibility with screen readers.

Because the ADA does not define a specific technical web standard, courts and settlements generally rely on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 or 2.1 Level AA as the benchmark for compliance.

Website Compliance Rules

Texas Electronic and Information Resources Accessibility Law

Texas does have state laws requiring accessibility for government technology, including websites.

The main statute is:

• Texas Government Code Chapter 2054 (Sections 2054.451–465)

This law requires state agencies and public universities to ensure that electronic information resources are accessible to people with disabilities.

Electronic information resources include:

• government websites
• online forms and portals
• multimedia content
• kiosks and transaction machines
• telecommunications technology.

The law requires that people with disabilities have access comparable to that provided to others when using these systems.

Damages & Penalties

Texas Administrative Code Accessibility Rules

Texas also adopted detailed technical accessibility rules for government technology.

Two key rules apply:

• 1 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 206 — State Websites
• 1 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 213 — Electronic and Information Resources

These rules require state agencies and public universities to ensure their digital services meet accessibility standards aligned with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

They apply to:

• government websites
• web applications
• software systems
• digital documents
• information systems developed or purchased by agencies.

The rules also require vendors providing technology to Texas agencies to meet accessibility requirements.