Guidelines

A new start to the year: ADA Compliance

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Last November, we briefly discussed the Americans with Disabilities Act Title II Web and Mobile Application Accessibility Rule, which takes effect on April 24, 2026, for state/local governments with populations of 50,000 or more, and on April 26, 2026, for populations of less than 50,000. For a better understanding of what Digital Accessibility is, check out these definitions.

To ensure compliance with this rule, CivicPlus, a digital software platform for local and state government agencies, has instituted its Acquia Web Governance application. This application actively targets website accessibility issues, providing recommendations and insights to enhance accessibility, quality, and performance. If your government institution uses CivicPlus, contact your IT department to determine if they have implemented the Aquia Web Governance application.

CivicPlus’s web accessibility also offers training and resources. It is essential to remember that the digital content on your website should be continually monitored and updated. After determining what needs to be updated on your website (e.g., PDF documents), demonstrating compliance can be achieved by posting an accessibility statement on your website.  

Updated Ohio ERC Publications Available- Social Media Engagement for Ohio Public Agencies

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The Ohio Electronic Records Committee (OhioERC) continues to update our publications, and we are pleased to announce two new updates to our social media guidelines for Ohio public agencies:

Social Media: The Records Management Challenge

Government agencies are increasing their use of social media to provide improved services, enable citizen interaction and increase overall transparency. These guidelines are intended to assist local government and state agencies in understanding the challenges related to social media implementation and how to mitigate risks associated with social media use.

Plan for Social Media Engagement

Social media can provide opportunities for communication and interaction with public, but entering this space also requires a commitment of time and resources to maintain relevance and cultivate relationships on these platforms. Government entities are encouraged to set clear goals and objectives for utilizing social media. This sample plan can be used to help define social media strategy and identify primary stakeholders in your agency to ensure agency goals and objectives are aligned in your social media engagement plan.

Both resources can be found HERE

OhioERC will continue to review and revise existing publications as well as work with our audience to identify topics and create new resources for officials in Ohio public agencies tasked with information resource management.

COMING SOON: “File Naming Conventions for Ohio Public Agencies” Training Module

Updated Publication Available from OhioERC

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We are pleased to announce that the Ohio Electronic Records Committee (OhioERC) has updated one of our publications developed for elected officials and professional staff responsible for managing electronic records in Ohio’s public agencies.

GUIDELINES FOR ELECTRONIC RECORDS MANAGEMENT was designed to provide guidance to users and managers of computer systems in Ohio government about:
▪ the problems associated with managing electronic records, including special record-keeping and accountability concerns that arise in the context of electronic government
▪ archival strategies for the identification, management and preservation of
electronic records with enduring value,
▪ identification and appropriate disposition of electronic records with short
term value, and
▪ improving access to state government records.

These guidelines are intended to assist Ohio government agencies meet record keeping
requirements pursuant to the Ohio Public Records Act. The updated guidelines can be found HERE

COMING SOON: Update to PLAN FOR SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT