In 2024, the United States Department of Justice issued a final rule mandating that all state and local government websites and mobile applications meet specific accessibility standards. The rule applies to state and local governments, special districts, and their vendors, requiring that their websites, mobile apps, software, and services be accessible to all users. The National Association of State Chief Information Officers’ publication, A Guide to DOJ Final Rule Compliance, outlines the compliance deadlines for these accessibility requirements.
“All applicable state, local and special governments/districts are subject to be fully compliant with Title II by certain dates based on Census population. Census districts with more than 50,000 residents must be compliant by April 24, 2026. Census districts with less than 50,000 residents and special districts must be compliant by April 26, 2027.” In the 2026 State CIO Top Priorities from NASCIO, accessibility ranked 6.
According to GovTech on February 24, NASCIO Policy Analyst Kalea Young-Gibson, says the deadline presents a challenge, with some states “likely to still be working towards compliance when the deadline hits.”
On February 25, GovRAMP released the GovRAMP Secure Innovation Playbook, describing the guide as “practical tools for responsible government adoption.” The educational guide gives government leaders the tools to effectively assess, implement and oversee AI, identity and data initiatives responsibly. “Government innovation is most successful when trust is built in from the start,” explains GovRAMP in the guide. “As agencies adopt AI, cloud, identity, and data sharing technologies, success depends on more than technical capability. It requires clearly defined outcomes, transparent governance, shared accountability, and a defensible approach to risk. The Secure Innovation Playbook is designed to help close that gap.” The guide offers suggested checklists and tools for a range of topics from AI readiness to identity modernization. For each item, a section explains how that relates to GovRAMP verification. For AI readiness and transparency, for example, the guide explains that: the “tool reflects GovRAMP’s focus on independent validation, shared responsibility, and risk-informed governance—supporting AI initiatives that can be secured, monitored, and explained.”
A recent report from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers highlights the five phases that states go through, from using generative AI to agentic AI. Beyond Generation: The Rise of Agentic AI in State Government, released March 3, explores these phases of maturity in the use of artificial intelligence; these span from phase 1, assistive generative AI (drafting documents, summarizing policies) to phase 5, proactive and adaptive agents (reallocating work, flagging changes). The report also delves into the challenges and risks associated with adopting and using agentic AI. Multiple examples describe how states use agentic AI now—or plan to in the future. For example, according to NASCIO, “in July of 2025, Virginia’s then Governor Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order to use agentic AI to improve government efficiency. The pilot would use an agentic AI tool to quickly scan existing regulations and guidance to spot conflicts with statute, cut redundancies and flag opportunities to simplify and clarify the language.”
According to NASCIO, the report helps state technology leaders:
NASCIO states: “Agentic AI is here, and the time to review policies, strengthen guardrails and build trust is now.”
Renee Moseley joined GL Solutions in 2016 with an educational and professional background in research and writing, along with software documentation. At GL Solutions she produces informative content to help regulatory agencies stay current on news and information that supports their success.
