FAQs for State Agencies - Accessibility and Document Standards

1. Do documents submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office need to meet accessibility standards?

Yes. In accordance with Colorado’s accessibility rules and statutes, all public entities and state agencies must comply with the accessibility standards established by the Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) when submitting documents to be published by the Secretary of State’s Office, per sections 24-34-802(1) and 24-4-103(12), C.R.S.

All public entities and state agencies are encouraged to submit their filings ahead of their relevant filing deadlines, as the Secretary of State’s Office will, where possible, evaluate whether filings are compliant with 8 CCR 1501-11, Rule 11.5, and require inaccessible documents to be resubmitted in an accessible format. Failure to submit compliant documents may impact a rulemaking deadline, including publication, adoption, and effective dates.

2. How to Run an accessibility check in Word:

  1. Open your document in Microsoft Word.
  2. Go to the ‘Review’ tab.
  3. Click ‘Check Accessibility’.
  4. Review the results and follow the recommendations provided to fix any issues.

This process helps ensure your documents are readable by screen readers and accessible to all members of the public.

3. What are the most common accessibility issues?

The most common issues we have identified are the following:

The absence of alternative text on images. Alternative text (alt text) is a brief description of an image that helps screen readers convey its content to visually impaired users and improves accessibility.

Missing headings. Heading levels play a crucial role in accessibility because they provide structure and hierarchy to content, which benefits users who rely on assistive technologies like screen readers.

Missing alt text

If an image is flagged, you can add alt text by completing the following steps:

  1. Click ‘Missing alt text’.
  2. Enter the image description.
  3. Click ‘Save’.
  4. If the image is decorative and doesn’t convey meaningful information, you can check the box labeled ‘Mark as decorative’.

Note: AI often adds alt text automatically, which means those images might not appear in the accessibility check. However, AI-generated descriptions aren’t always accurate. To ensure compliance and accessibility, review all images, not just those flagged, and confirm the alt text is correct.

To add alt text before running the accessibility check, simply right-click on the image, select ‘View Alt Text,’ and enter a description in the provided field.

Missing headings

All documents must have the appropriate heading structure. Ensure headings are applied whether they are flagged or not.

If your document is missing headings, you can add them by following these steps:

  1. Go to the Home tab.
  2. In the Styles group on the ribbon, select the appropriate heading style.
  3. Apply Heading 1 to your document title.
  4. Use Heading 2, Heading 3, and so on for subsections to maintain a logical structure.

Additional tips for using headings effectively:

  • Start with a Heading 1 (H1).
  • Each document should have one, and only one, unique H1.
  • Nest headings and don’t skip levels.
  • Do not exceed more than five or six levels of headings.

4. How can state agencies make accessibility updates that are non-substantive to existing rules?

For non-substantive accessibility updates, agencies should follow the correction filing process: Instructions for an administrative correction filing.

Request your assigned Assistant Attorney General to prepare a correction letter that:

  1. Details the changes;
  2. Explains the reason for the updates; and
  3. Confirms the changes are non-substantive.

5. What file format do I use for submitting rule-related documents?

While adopted rules are already required to be submitted in Microsoft Word (.doc) format, the Secretary of State’s Office is now requiring that all rule-related documents be submitted in Word format.

Why Word format?

  • Accessibility: Word files are easier to make accessible and support automated accessibility checks, which are required under Colorado’s accessibility standards.
  • Efficiency: Word documents streamline processing and reduce the need for manual formatting corrections.
  • Publication consistency: Documents submitted in Word format are easier to format for publication in the Colorado Register and the Code of Colorado Regulations (CCR).