The Department of Justice sent an undisclosed "interim final rule" to the Office of Management and Budget on February 13, 2026, weeks before the April 24 compliance deadline for state and local government web accessibility under the ADA. The rule's contents haven't been made public, and it bypasses the normal public comment process, unprecedented for an accessibility regulation.

The deadline applies to governments with populations of 50,000 or more. Starting April 24, their websites and mobile apps must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA technical standards for accessibility. That includes Medicaid applications, IEP request forms, transportation services, voter registration, and emergency information: digital services families with disabled children use daily.

What the DOJ Sent to OMB

In February 2026, instead of the proposed rulemaking advocates expected, the Justice Department submitted an "interim final rule" to reconsider whether some regulatory provisions "could be made less costly," according to Disability Scoop's April 14 report.

The contents remain undisclosed. OMB concluded its review, but the rule hasn't been published.

Jennifer Mathis, deputy director at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, told Disability Scoop the timing and procedural choice suggest a deadline extension is likely. "Given the timing of this and the fact that they decided to proceed with an interim final rule rather than the proposed rule they had initially planned," she said, it seems designed to delay or weaken the requirement.

Why This Matters for Families

Government websites are where you apply for disability benefits, request school accommodations, check transit schedules, and access emergency alerts. When those sites aren't accessible to screen readers or keyboard-only navigation, families can't complete tasks required to get services.

The 2024 rule established the first technical standard for digital accessibility under Title II of the ADA. As the DOJ put it: "Just as stairs can exclude people who use wheelchairs from accessing government buildings, inaccessible web content and mobile apps can exclude people with a range of disabilities" from government services.

Covered entities have had two years to prepare since the rule was finalized in April 2024. The underlying ADA obligation has existed since 1990.

Who Opposes the Deadline

The National Association of Counties and National League of Cities requested delays, exemptions for smaller entities, and cited cost and technical concerns.

Who Supports the Original Timeline

The National Federation of the Blind submitted a letter to OMB on March 5, 2026, opposing any changes. The organization argued the rule underwent 14 years of development, multiple rounds of public input, and reflects requirements that have been legally mandated for 36 years. "Delaying or amending the regulation at this point would severely harm blind and other disabled Americans by denying them access to important civic information," the NFB stated.

Mathis echoed that position: "Covered entities have had two years to come into compliance with the rule, and it is extremely troubling" to change it now.

What Families Can Do Now

The underlying ADA obligation remains regardless of what happens to the rule. If a government website blocks access to services you need, you can file a complaint now.

• File an ADA complaint with the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division if you can't access a government website to complete a disability-related task. Document the specific barrier: which form, which page, what happened when you tried to use it.
• Contact disability advocacy organizations already opposing the delay. The National Federation of the Blind and Bazelon Center are tracking this issue and may coordinate further action.
• Request paper alternatives if digital systems are inaccessible. Schools and benefit agencies are required to provide accessible ways to complete forms, even if they're not meeting the web standard.

The April 24 deadline is still legally in effect. Whether the DOJ extends it, the ADA's core accessibility obligation doesn't change.