My E-Government Wish List for Santa – Wish #1

This is a cross-post of: http://dotgov.com

Dear Santa,

This year, I‘m not asking for a new iPhone, a Spy Camera Video Watch or an Electrical Car (a real one!).

Santa Art by Isabelle (6 years)

This year, I’m asking for a better e-Government. The Obama administration has already made a huge progression with the Open Government Initiative, Apps.gov, Data.gov, and the embracement of OpenID, so I believe my wish list is pretty humble.

I know that the elves aren’t that good in wrapping up intangible stuff so I hope you could pass my wish list on to the US Government CTO, Aneesh Chopra, the US CIO, Vivek Kundra, and most especially to all the CIO’s, CTO’s and web policy makers on state and local government level.

Here is my Santa Wish #1:

Enforce Web Accessibility on State & Local Government Level

The government is of the people, by the people and for the people. With that we mean ALL people. Currently, millions of Americans with disabilities are not able to access important state and local government services on the web due to lack of web accessibility, but the thing is, this group is actually more dependent on the Internet than any other group in our society. Of course, we have the Section 508 in place, but local governments are not obliged to use it.

Here is what I suggest:
a. Extend Section 508 explicitly to local governments
b. If that is not possible, please sign a Nationwide Accessibility Covenant with each state so that they will embed this in state law.
c. Run an automated continuous Nationwide Accessibility Benchmark that validates government websites on all web accessibility guidelines. We are living in 2009 now and the technology is available to do it.

I will post my other 3 wishes later this week.

PS: any comments, other eGov wishes or more Santa Kids Art are welcome!

This is a series of 4 Santa Wishes for a better e-Government:
-eGov Santa Wish #1: enforce web accessibility for local government.
-eGov Santa Wish #2: an One Stop Government.
-eGov Santa Wish #3: benchmark all Government websites
-eGov Santa Wish #4: It’s the Local Government, Stupid!