Senators Propose Update to Communications Accessibility Law
Bill would a 2010 law to expand accessibility requirements to emerging digital services.
WASHINGTON, April 20, 2026 – A bipartisan bill to update federal accessibility rules for communications and video technologies was introduced by senators Thursday.
To close accessibility gaps for people with disabilities, Sens. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., joined Reps. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., in introducing the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act.
The bill would update a 2010 law authored by Markey, the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, to cover newer technologies such as streaming platforms, video conferencing tools, and emerging digital services.
Current accessibility rules have not kept pace with rapid technological change, limiting access for people with disabilities, lawmakers said.
“In a world of ever-changing technologies, too often, people with disabilities have been left behind,” Markey said in a release. “If you cannot join the video conferencing meeting, follow the streaming show, or communicate with 9-1-1 emergency services, you are being shut out of modern American life.”
The legislation would expand captioning and audio description requirements for television and online streaming and make accessibility features easier to activate on devices such as smartphones, laptops, and televisions.
It would also improve accessibility for video conferencing platforms, ensure access to 9-1-1 services, and give the Federal Communications Commission authority to update rules for emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and virtual reality.
“Technology has advanced rapidly, but accessibility standards have not kept pace, leaving too many folks behind,” Luján said.
“This legislation is about making sure our laws finally catch up with how people actually live and work today,” Dingell said. “Every American deserves equal access to the tools that power our economy, education, and everyday life.”
“Innovation and accessibility can and must move together,” Fitzpatrick said, adding the bill would create “clearer standards, stronger accountability, and a forward-looking framework.”
Member discussion