by Dave Garb, Legislative Committee Chair
Reminder: ADA Title II Web and Mobility Access Compliance with the WCAG 2.1 Level AA Rules – Quickly Approaching
Starting April 24, 2027, any video published on government websites (or anywhere on the web) must include closed captioning. This new rule applies to local governments serving more than 50,000 people who provide online communications held to a minimum WCAG standard, but will extend to all government websites with less than 50,000 residents starting April 24, 2028.
This rule requires captioning for all online VOD and livestreamed content, and adding a descriptive audio track for pre-recorded video that will also be aired online.
Organizations should determine the costs for compliance with the new rule and plan either to meet the standards or to make the case that compliance with one or more elements presents an undue burden. In either case, decision makers with local government need to be involved.
Regardless of the Federal Government’s enforcement of the ADA, these rules can be enforced through private legal action; so, local governments and non-profits would be subject to legal liability if they fail to act appropriately.
Organizations are not exempt from ADA requirements. All non-profits and local governments need to assess the costs of providing effective communication for constituents. Solutions must be based on what constituents need. Exceptions can be made if that service fundamentally changes what the organization does or if it presents an undue economic burden. Guidelines are at https://www.ada.gov/resources/effective-communication/.
If you provide captions, but they are not transmitted by a cable operator on your channels, tell the FCC as this is against the law. Email dro@fcc.org or use the link https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/closed-captioning-television.
Mike Wassenaar and the ACM have shared a slideshow, titled Accessibility Rules Every PEG Channel Should Understand, that highlights everything you need to know about these rules and lists key takeaways about disability access for you to share with your channels and services.
DANGER! Still Floating Around in the Halls of Congress
The American Broadband Deployment Act of 2025 (H.R. 2289)
Last November, a dangerous bill passed out of the Congressional House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee, titled the American Broadband Deployment Act of 2025 (H.R. 2289).
H.R. 2289 gives conglomerate telecommunication companies de-facto power over local zoning laws. It provides no public safety protections for construction of “deemed granted” facilities. Sites will be constructed without any further action by the government, without notice to the local government. It strips local governments of the ability to ensure public safety, manage traffic, protect existing utilities and workers, and maintain fair competition, while imposing no reciprocal obligations on providers.
It empowers providers to install facilities where they choose regardless of local zoning—thus eliminating the ability of local government to balance providers’ and neighbors’ interests.
Not only will local authorities have no control of the rights-of-way, but the franchise fees generated by them as well. Cable franchise renewals would be eliminated—thereby removing the ability of state or local communities to enforce franchise obligations such as build-out, customer service, and PEG. Municipalities will lose hundreds of thousand dollars annually and local programming that provides transparency to the local residents.
In an effort to make our leadership aware of the implications of this act, the Jersey Access Group created the following videos about it:
The first one, is a 3-minute video which details the harmful points of H.R. 2289.
1-Minute Overview of this Act.
CG Version – “Alternating the Future of Our Stations – HR 2289”.
If you have not done so already, please forward both these videos to your local, state, and federal lawmakers to make everyone aware and informed of the dangers of H.R. 2289 to your local municipalities. Also, please consider airing them on your television channels and other means of communication to make the members of your community informed as well.
Please contact us if you are in need of any further information on these two stories.
David Garb, Legislative Chair
Jersey Access Group
davegarb@paps.net
Doug Seidel, President
Jersey Access Group
dseidel@piscatawaynj.org
Bob Duthaler, Former President
Jersey Access Group
bduthaler@jagonline.org
Mike Wassenaar, President
Alliance for Community Media
mwassenaar@allcommunitymedia.org
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News from Trenton & Washington, DC and FCC Legislation Changes
Posted: August 20, 2026 by Rich Desimone
by Dave Garb, Legislative Committee Chair
Reminder: ADA Title II Web and Mobility Access Compliance with the WCAG 2.1 Level AA Rules – Quickly Approaching
Starting April 24, 2027, any video published on government websites (or anywhere on the web) must include closed captioning. This new rule applies to local governments serving more than 50,000 people who provide online communications held to a minimum WCAG standard, but will extend to all government websites with less than 50,000 residents starting April 24, 2028.
This rule requires captioning for all online VOD and livestreamed content, and adding a descriptive audio track for pre-recorded video that will also be aired online.
Organizations should determine the costs for compliance with the new rule and plan either to meet the standards or to make the case that compliance with one or more elements presents an undue burden. In either case, decision makers with local government need to be involved.
Regardless of the Federal Government’s enforcement of the ADA, these rules can be enforced through private legal action; so, local governments and non-profits would be subject to legal liability if they fail to act appropriately.
Organizations are not exempt from ADA requirements. All non-profits and local governments need to assess the costs of providing effective communication for constituents. Solutions must be based on what constituents need. Exceptions can be made if that service fundamentally changes what the organization does or if it presents an undue economic burden. Guidelines are at https://www.ada.gov/resources/effective-communication/.
If you provide captions, but they are not transmitted by a cable operator on your channels, tell the FCC as this is against the law. Email dro@fcc.org or use the link https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/closed-captioning-television.
Mike Wassenaar and the ACM have shared a slideshow, titled Accessibility Rules Every PEG Channel Should Understand, that highlights everything you need to know about these rules and lists key takeaways about disability access for you to share with your channels and services.
DANGER! Still Floating Around in the Halls of Congress
The American Broadband Deployment Act of 2025 (H.R. 2289)
Last November, a dangerous bill passed out of the Congressional House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee, titled the American Broadband Deployment Act of 2025 (H.R. 2289).
H.R. 2289 gives conglomerate telecommunication companies de-facto power over local zoning laws. It provides no public safety protections for construction of “deemed granted” facilities. Sites will be constructed without any further action by the government, without notice to the local government. It strips local governments of the ability to ensure public safety, manage traffic, protect existing utilities and workers, and maintain fair competition, while imposing no reciprocal obligations on providers.
It empowers providers to install facilities where they choose regardless of local zoning—thus eliminating the ability of local government to balance providers’ and neighbors’ interests.
Not only will local authorities have no control of the rights-of-way, but the franchise fees generated by them as well. Cable franchise renewals would be eliminated—thereby removing the ability of state or local communities to enforce franchise obligations such as build-out, customer service, and PEG. Municipalities will lose hundreds of thousand dollars annually and local programming that provides transparency to the local residents.
In an effort to make our leadership aware of the implications of this act, the Jersey Access Group created the following videos about it:
The first one, is a 3-minute video which details the harmful points of H.R. 2289.
1-Minute Overview of this Act.
CG Version – “Alternating the Future of Our Stations – HR 2289”.
If you have not done so already, please forward both these videos to your local, state, and federal lawmakers to make everyone aware and informed of the dangers of H.R. 2289 to your local municipalities. Also, please consider airing them on your television channels and other means of communication to make the members of your community informed as well.
Please contact us if you are in need of any further information on these two stories.
David Garb, Legislative Chair
Jersey Access Group
davegarb@paps.net
Doug Seidel, President
Jersey Access Group
dseidel@piscatawaynj.org
Bob Duthaler, Former President
Jersey Access Group
bduthaler@jagonline.org
Mike Wassenaar, President
Alliance for Community Media
mwassenaar@allcommunitymedia.org
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Category: Latest JAG News, Legislation/Regulation