Texas HB 5195 is a state law that requires Texas state agencies to make their websites and web-based applications accessible to people with disabilities. The bill was signed in 2023 and ties agency websites to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as the technical standard for conformance. Agencies covered by the law must evaluate their digital assets, post an accessibility statement, and report progress to the Texas Department of Information Resources. The law applies to state agencies, not private businesses, but it signals a broader push toward formal web accessibility requirements at the state level.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bill | Texas HB 5195 |
| Signed | June 2023 |
| Who it covers | Texas state agencies |
| Technical standard | WCAG (referenced through state rules and federal alignment) |
| Oversight | Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) |
| Required actions | Accessibility statement, evaluation, reporting, remediation |
What does Texas HB 5195 actually require?
HB 5195 directs Texas state agencies to bring their websites and web applications into conformance with recognized accessibility standards. The law works alongside existing Texas Administrative Code rules (1 TAC Chapters 206 and 213) that already reference WCAG for state agency websites and electronic information resources.
Agencies must publish an accessibility statement on their website. The statement identifies the standard the agency is working toward, provides a contact method for users who encounter issues, and notes the date of the last review.
Agencies are also required to evaluate their websites for accessibility and report status to the Texas Department of Information Resources. DIR uses these reports to track statewide progress and identify agencies that need additional support.
Who has to comply with the Texas web accessibility law?
The law applies to Texas state agencies, which includes executive branch agencies, boards, commissions, and institutions of higher education that fall under state authority. Local governments and private businesses are not directly covered by HB 5195, though they may be subject to other federal requirements such as the ADA.
State agencies should treat the law as a baseline. Federal obligations under Section 508 already apply to certain federally funded programs administered at the state level, and ADA Title II covers state and local government services more broadly.
What is the technical standard tied to the law?
Texas points state agencies to WCAG as the technical reference. Most agencies target WCAG 2.1 AA, which is the same standard used by the new ADA Title II web rule and by Section 508 through its alignment with the Revised 508 Standards.
WCAG 2.1 AA covers four principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and conformance-ready content. Conformance is determined through a manual accessibility audit that evaluates each success criterion against the agency’s site or application.
Scans cannot determine WCAG conformance on their own. Scans only flag approximately 25% of issues, which makes a human evaluation necessary for any agency that needs to document conformance.
How should a Texas state agency approach compliance?
The starting point is an inventory. Agencies need to know which websites, subdomains, intranets, and web applications fall within scope. Higher education institutions often have hundreds of digital assets across departments, which complicates the picture.
From there, the work moves through a predictable sequence. Conduct an audit of representative pages and templates against WCAG 2.1 AA. Prioritize issues using Risk Factor or User Impact prioritization formulas. Remediate issues in the code and content. Validate fixes through follow-up evaluation. Publish or update the accessibility statement. Report status to DIR on the required schedule.
Agencies that maintain ongoing accessibility programs tend to fare better than those that treat compliance as a one-time project. Web content changes constantly, and accessibility status moves with it.
How does HB 5195 fit with federal requirements?
The Texas law sits alongside federal obligations rather than replacing them. ADA Title II requires state and local governments to make web content accessible, with compliance dates that have already gone into effect for larger entities and that go into effect for smaller entities in April 2027. Section 508 applies to federally funded programs.
Agencies that meet WCAG 2.1 AA generally satisfy the technical expectation across all three frameworks. The reporting and documentation requirements differ, which is where state-specific procedures come into play.
What documentation should agencies keep?
Audit reports, remediation logs, validation records, and accessibility statements form the core documentation set. Agencies should also keep training records for staff who create or maintain web content, since human error in content production is one of the most common sources of new issues.
Accessible.org recommends keeping a current record of the agency’s accessibility status that can be produced on request. This protects the agency in the event of a complaint and supports the DIR reporting cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Texas HB 5195 apply to private companies?
No. The law applies to Texas state agencies. Private companies operating in Texas are still subject to ADA Title III and may be subject to other federal accessibility requirements depending on the nature of their business.
What is the deadline for compliance?
HB 5195 does not set a single statewide deadline. Agencies operate on reporting schedules administered by the Texas Department of Information Resources and should align internal milestones with the broader ADA Title II compliance dates that affect state government.
Is WCAG 2.1 AA the right standard for Texas state agencies?
WCAG 2.1 AA is the most widely adopted standard and aligns with ADA Title II and Section 508. Some agencies target WCAG 2.2 AA when they want to stay ahead of where federal references are moving.
Can a scan satisfy the evaluation requirement?
No. Scans flag a portion of issues and are useful for monitoring, but they cannot determine WCAG conformance. A manual accessibility audit is the only way to evaluate conformance against the standard.
What happens if an agency does not comply?
Noncompliance creates risk on multiple fronts: state reporting obligations to DIR, federal exposure under ADA Title II, and potential complaints from users who cannot access agency services. The practical risk is greater than the statutory penalty alone.
Texas HB 5195 sits inside a wider shift toward formal accessibility requirements for government websites. Agencies that build a steady audit, remediate, and document rhythm will be in a far stronger position than those that wait for a complaint to force the work.
Contact Accessible.org to discuss an audit or compliance plan for your agency: Contact Accessible.org.
