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A bipartisan, bicameral bill to update and expand federal accessibility requirements for communication and video technologies was reintroduced in Congress on April 16, 2026. The Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act (CVTA) was introduced by Senators Edward Markey (D-MA) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) alongside Representatives Debbie Dingell (MI-06) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01).
The legislation would modernize the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA), which became law in 2010. As introduced, the CVTA would expand closed captioning and audio description requirements for television and online streaming, update how viewers activate and adjust those settings on devices including televisions, smartphones, and tablets, improve accessibility requirements for video conferencing platforms, strengthen 9-1-1 access for people with disabilities, and give the FCC authority to keep accessibility standards current as technologies including artificial intelligence and virtual reality continue to develop.
The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) is among the organizations that have expressed support for the legislation. Executive Director Barbara Kelley cited the significance of updating accessibility requirements given how much communication technology has changed since the CVAA's passage.
First introduced in November 2022, the CVTA has been reintroduced in the current Congress but has not yet been scheduled for committee consideration.
Read the press release here.
