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Understanding AB 434
(Government Code §11546.7)
Website Accessibility Certification for California State Agencies
AB 434 introduced one of California's most visible accessibility accountability requirements. While laws such as Government Code §11135 focus on equal access and Government Code §7405 focuses on technology accessibility, AB 434 focuses on public accountability.
The law requires California state agencies and state entities to publicly certify that their websites meet established accessibility requirements. In doing so, AB 434 shifts accessibility beyond technical implementation and places responsibility at the leadership level. Accessibility becomes something agencies must actively evaluate, manage, and attest on an ongoing basis.
For public sector organizations, AB 434 reinforces the expectation that accessibility is not a one-time compliance project but an ongoing organizational responsibility.
Note: This content is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. If you need a formal interpretation of requirements for your organization, consult qualified legal counsel and your compliance team.
AB 434 at a Glance
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Mandatory Executive Sign-off: Certifications cannot be delegated to web teams; they must be signed and approved directly by the agency’s Director and Chief Information Officer (CIO).
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Biannual Postings: Signed certifications must be posted publicly on the homepage of the state entity’s website on or before July 1 of every odd-numbered year.
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Evolving Standards: While the law originally referenced WCAG 2.0, California has officially transitioned. Compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA was required for the July 2025 certifications, and all subsequent web development must align with WCAG 2.2 Level AA standards.
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Operational Frameworks: The certification process is systematically governed by the State Administrative Manual (SAM) Section 4833 and documented using SIMM 25B forms.
Purpose of the Law: Leadership Accountability
The primary objective of AB 434 is to drive organizational accountability for digital inclusion across California’s executive branch.
Before AB 434 was chaptered, digital accessibility standards already existed under state and federal law. However, compliance was frequently siloed within developer teams, leading to inconsistent digital experiences. AB 434 solved this by requiring public, executive-level sign-offs.
By making agency directors and CIOs personally and publicly responsible for website compliance, California created a governance model where accessibility must be prioritized in budgeting, procurement, and daily web management.
Scope and Coverage
Who Does AB 434 Apply To?
AB 434 applies to all California state agencies, departments, boards, and entities operating under executive branch authority.
While local municipalities, special districts, and private businesses are not subject to the AB 434 reporting mandate, the law's influence extends to them indirectly. Because state agencies rely on third-party software, any technology vendor, contractor, or cloud service provider delivering digital assets to the State of California must ensure their deliverables are fully compliant so the hiring agency can legally certify their site.
What Digital Properties Are in Scope?
Accessibility expectations under AB 434 primarily affect:
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Public websites
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Agency web applications
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Online service portals
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Digital content published on government websites
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Forms and documents delivered through state websites
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Digital services used by residents to interact with government
Because the law focuses on website accessibility, agencies must consider the entire user experience rather than individual pages in isolation.
The Technical Standards: SAM 4833 &
SIMM 25 A/B
To standardize how agencies evaluate their websites, the California Department of Technology (CDT) utilizes specific policy and auditing tools:
The Technical Standards: SAM 4833
& SIMM 25 A/B
State entities and their technology vendors frequently hit roadblocks when trying to secure their biennial certifications:
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Late-Stage Testing: Auditing website accessibility right before launch, leading to missed deadlines and expensive, emergency code remediation.
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Stale Document Libraries: Legacy PDF directories and downloadable forms that lack structural tags, heading hierarchies, or screen-reader compatibility.
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Unvetted Third-Party Software: Utilizing embedded calendars, chat widgets, or mapping tools that do not support keyboard-only navigation.
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"Check-the-Box" Audits: Relying solely on automated accessibility scanners, which historically capture only 30% to 40% of actual WCAG barriers.
Practical Interpretation & Key Takeaway
AB 434 shifts the digital compliance conversation from:
"Are we technically compliant?"
to:
"Can our leadership prove and document that our digital services are continuously evaluated and barrier-free?"
Fulfilling AB 434 requires state entities and their technology partners to build repeatable, documented processes for continuous testing, automated scanning, manual screen-reader validation, and vendor procurement management.
How 4Point can help
Start with an accessibility audit. If you’re unsure where you stand against federal expectations and WCAG, 4Point can run a practical audit to establish a baseline, identify the highest-risk barriers, and give you a prioritized remediation roadmap.
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Scoping session: 4Point will confirm which forms are in scope, the number to be reviewed, and the accessibility standard(s) to assess against.
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Forms accessibility audit: 4Point will review an agreed number of forms and document accessibility gaps.
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Conformance report and prioritization: 4Point will provide conformance findings, severity ratings, and a recommended fix order.
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Recommendations and remediation plan: 4Point will share recommendations for addressing identified gaps and provide a statement of work for remediation of the audited forms (remediation is not included in the audit engagement).
Next step: request an audit by sharing your digital scope (properties, platforms, documents), your target standard (e.g., WCAG 2.1 AA), and any upcoming procurement or reporting deadlines. We’ll confirm the audit approach, sample size (templates/journeys), and deliver a prioritized findings summary with recommended fixes.