ADA Laws for hospitals in Utah

State Law Summary

Utah Does Not Have a Specific Website Accessibility Law for Private Businesses

Utah does not have a state statute that explicitly requires private business websites to comply with accessibility standards.

Instead, accessibility obligations generally arise from the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Two parts of the ADA apply:

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

Under Title III, businesses considered places of public accommodation must provide equal access to their goods and services. Courts increasingly interpret this to include websites and digital services, especially when the website is connected to a physical business location.

Businesses typically covered include:

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

Most ADA website lawsuits claim that accessibility barriers prevent individuals with disabilities from accessing online services.

Common barriers cited in complaints include:

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

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

Website Compliance Rules

Utah Administrative Rule for Government Website Accessibility

Utah has a state administrative rule governing accessibility of government technology, including websites.

The rule is Utah Administrative Code R895-14-3, which requires:

• agency websites
• hardware and software purchased by agencies
• internal information systems

to conform to WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards at minimum.

The rule applies to Utah state agencies and technology systems created after June 1, 2015.

Key provisions include:

• government websites must meet WCAG accessibility guidelines
• vendors developing technology for state agencies must comply with accessibility standards
• agencies must provide alternative access methods if full compliance is not possible.

This rule effectively makes WCAG accessibility compliance mandatory for Utah state government digital services.

Damages & Penalties

Utah Government Accessibility Policies

Utah also maintains accessibility policies for official state websites and applications.

The state’s accessibility guidelines focus on making websites usable for people with disabilities affecting:

• vision
• hearing
• motor ability
• cognitive function.

Common accessibility practices required or encouraged include:

• logical HTML structure for screen readers
• adequate color contrast
• descriptive alternative text for images
• labeled form fields
• captions or transcripts for video content.

Users who encounter accessibility barriers on Utah government websites can submit accessibility complaints through the state support system.