Accessibility Statement

We target Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA, including the 2.2 additions covering focus appearance, focus not obscured, dragging movements, target size, consistent help, redundant entry, and accessible authentication. New features are designed against that standard from the start. Existing pages are reviewed against it during routine content updates and during dedicated accessibility audits.

The site uses semantic HTML landmarks (header, navigation, main, footer), a visible "Skip to main content" link, a logical heading hierarchy with a single h1 per page, descriptive link text, visible focus indicators on every interactive element, text color contrast that meets or exceeds 4.5:1 against its background for body text and 3:1 for large text, alternative text on informative images, keyboard operability across all interactive controls, and reduced-motion behavior for users who prefer it. External links carry rel="noopener" and open in a new tab only when content lives on a third-party site.

The editorial team performs an internal accessibility review at least twice per year. We use automated tooling (axe, Lighthouse) and manual testing with keyboard navigation and screen-reader walkthroughs. Material findings are tracked and prioritized for repair on a rolling basis.

• Some embedded charts rely on color in addition to labels; data tables are provided as fallback wherever practical.
• The choropleth map on the state-level pages is decorative when accessed via screen reader; the underlying values are available in the alphabetical state list immediately below the map.
• Source citations linking to external dashboards may inherit accessibility limitations from the destination site.

Write to [email protected] with the page URL, a brief description of the barrier, and the assistive technology and browser in use. We aim to acknowledge within 5 business days and to repair confirmed issues within 30 days when feasible, or sooner when the barrier prevents access to core content.