Technology (People with Disabilities)

This Missouri House resolution (HR 3877) urges businesses to add accessibility features - such as screen readers, tactile keypads, or voice navigation - to self-service kiosks and devices (like restaurant payment terminals, airport check-in machines, or pharmacy systems). It directly affects businesses operating these public-facing technologies by calling for their use of specific tools that enable blind or low-vision customers to independently complete tasks like payments or check-ins. The resolution emphasizes that adopting these features aligns with the Americans with Disabilities Act and promotes independence, without creating new legal requirements. It is a non-binding request, not a law, focused on encouraging voluntary adoption of existing accessible technologies.

HB 1755 creates a process for Missouri businesses to challenge lawsuits claiming their websites don’t meet accessibility standards as "abusive litigation." It requires defendants to fix accessibility issues within 30 days before lawsuits can be contested, and directs courts to consider factors like whether multiple similar lawsuits were filed or if the defendant could reasonably address the issue. If a court rules litigation abusive, it can order the filing party to pay the defendant’s legal fees and up to three times those costs. The law specifically targets lawsuits alleging violations of federal or state disability access laws related to websites operated by Missouri residents.

HB 1780 creates a legal process for Missouri website owners facing lawsuits alleging violations of accessibility laws (like the ADA) to challenge whether such lawsuits are "abusive." It allows defendants to file a civil action asking courts to determine if the lawsuit's primary purpose was obtaining payment for defense costs, not fixing website access. Courts must consider factors like the plaintiff's history of similar lawsuits, defendant resources, and whether the website was corrected within 30 days (creating a presumption the lawsuit is abusive if not corrected within 90 days). The law expires if the federal government issues ADA website accessibility standards.