File #: Int 0163-2024    Version: Name: Establishing accessibility guidelines for printed documents.
Type: Introduction Status: Laid Over in Committee
Committee: Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities and Addiction
On agenda: 2/28/2024
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing accessibility guidelines for printed documents
Sponsors: Eric Dinowitz, Linda Lee, Gale A. Brewer, Crystal Hudson, Christopher Marte, Tiffany L. Cabán, Julie Menin, Kamillah Hanks, Lynn C. Schulman, Pierina Ana Sanchez
Council Member Sponsors: 10
Summary: This bill would require the mayor, or the mayor’s designee, to establish guidelines for the accessibility of any printed document created by an agency or related to an agency program or activity. These guidelines would apply to documents posted on an agency’s website or emailed to the public for printing. The guidelines must be published online and include, at a minimum, standards for formatting, visual design, and readability. Where practicable, any printed document an agency creates for public dissemination must comply with these guidelines.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 163-A, 2. Summary of Int. No. 163, 3. Int. No. 163, 4. February 28, 2024 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 5. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 2-28-24, 6. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - February 28, 2024, 7. Fiscal Impact Statement - City Council, 8. Fiscal Impact Statement - OMB, 9. Committee Report 10/23/25, 10. Hearing Testimony 10/23/25, 11. Hearing Transcript 10/23/25, 12. Proposed Int. No. 163-A - 11/18/25, 13. Committee Report 11/25/25

Proposed Int. No. 163-A

 

By Council Members Dinowitz, Lee, Brewer, Hudson, Marte, Cabán, Menin, Hanks, Schulman and Sanchez

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing accessibility guidelines for printed documents

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Section 23-802 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 26 for the year 2016, is amended to read as follows:

§ 23-802 Accessibility. a. The mayor or the mayor’s designee shall adopt a protocol for websites maintained by or on behalf of the city or a city agency relating to website accessibility for persons with disabilities. Such protocol shall provide for agency websites to use either of the following standards: section 1194.22 of title 36 of the code of federal regulations or the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA, developed by the Worldwide Web Consortium, or any successor standards, provided that the adopted protocol may differ from these standards in specific instances when the mayor or mayor's designee determines, after consulting with experts in website design and reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities, and the holding of a public hearing, that such differences will provide effective communication for people with disabilities, and that such differences are documented in such protocol. Such protocol shall be made available online. [This section does not require an agency to take any action that would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a service, program, or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens.]

b. No later than July 1, 2017, and every two years thereafter, the mayor or the mayor's designee shall submit to the council a written report that documents the compliance of websites maintained by or on behalf of the city or a city agency with the protocol adopted pursuant to subdivision a of this section.

c. The mayor, or the mayor’s designee, shall establish guidelines relating to accessibility of any printed document created by an agency or relating to an agency’s program or activity, including any document that an agency posts on its website or sends by email to a member of the public for the purpose of allowing a person to print such document. Such guidelines shall be made available online. Such guidelines shall include, but need not be limited to, guidance regarding formatting, visual appearance, and readability of printed documents. Where practicable, any printed document an agency creates for public dissemination shall adhere to these guidelines.

d. This section does not require an agency to take any action that would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a service, program, or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens.

§ 2. This local law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law.

PS/SOS

LS #12122/15191

11/17/25 6:30pm