Comment on FR Doc # 2026-07663
Sabrina JohnsonSupportIndividual
Summary: A blind resident of Florida describes the significant barriers and frustrations they face when trying to access state and local government websites due to lack of accessibility features. The commenter argues that delaying the enforcement of accessibility standards prolongs these struggles and hinders the ability of people with disabilities to participate fully in public life.
As a blind Floridian, I experience these barriers every time I try to complete basic tasks that others can finish in minutes. When I apply for or renew benefits through ACCESS Florida, I often cannot complete the forms independently because required fields are not labeled and error messages are not announced by JAWS. When I try to renew my Florida Identification card or schedule an appointment through FLHSMV, I encounter CAPTCHA with no audio alternative and buttons that JAWS cannot identify. Even accessing property information through the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser’s website is difficult because search results are not structured for screen readers, and many documents are posted as scanned images. These barriers turn simple tasks into hours of frustration, instead of being fully accessible and private. Every delay in enforcing accessibility standards prolongs these struggles for millions of us and allows more inaccessible content to be created, making it even harder for people with disabilities to participate fully and equally in public life.