Alford, Correa Introduce Bipartisan “Online Accessibility Act” to Expand Access & Protect Small Businesses

Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) and Congressman Lou Correa (CA-46) introduced the Online Accessibility Act, bipartisan legislation to modernize the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for the digital age while protecting small businesses from abusive website lawsuits.

The legislation establishes clear, uniform accessibility standards for consumer-facing websites and mobile applications and creates a structured process to ensure issues are fixed-rather than exploited.

"Missouri small businesses want to do the right thing-they want their websites accessible to everyone," said Congressman Alford. "What they don't want is to be hit with vague demand letters or forced into costly settlements over technical issues they weren't given a chance to fix. This bill brings clarity, fairness, and accountability to the system-protecting access for individuals with disabilities while also protecting small businesses from predatory lawsuits."

The Online Accessibility Act:

Establishes clear federal accessibility standards for websites and mobile applications

• Requires notice and an opportunity to fix accessibility issues before legal action
• Creates a structured enforcement process through the Department of Justice
• Provides flexibility for small businesses working in good faith to comply

Across Missouri and the country, small businesses have faced a growing wave of website accessibility lawsuits-often over minor or unclear violations-with little opportunity to correct issues before legal action is taken.

State-level efforts have also begun to address the issue. According to the Missouri Independent, more than 100 locally owned businesses in Missouri have been targeted by website-related ADA lawsuits, with some forced to pay significant settlements or shut down operations.

Accessibility matters, and it should be the goal, not an afterthought," Alford continued. "This bill makes sure the focus is on fixing problems and expanding access, not enriching trial lawyers."'

"Websites need to be accessible to all customers. Small businesses in Southern California work hard to be accessible to all, but for too long there's been a lack of clarity and guidance for them," said Congressman Correa. "This bill will increase accessibility while also providing clarity to small businesses and giving them a chance to fix issues before being hit with costly lawsuits."

The legislation builds on growing bipartisan momentum at both the state and federal level to curb abusive litigation practices while strengthening accessibility protections.

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