Report 2014-131 Recommendation 5 Responses
Report 2014-131: California State Government Websites: Departments Must Improve Website Accessibility So That Persons With Disabilities Have Comparable Access to State Services Online (Release Date: June 2015)
Recommendation #5 To: Franchise Tax Board
To ensure that it addresses barriers to the accessibility of its website for persons with disabilities, Franchise Tax Board should, no later than December 1, 2015, correct the accessibility violations we found during our review.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2016
Ensure keyboard-only users that navigate the Internet using the Firefox browser are able to select a security image when registering to use the CalFile application in order to file their return online. A software developer modified the code to call in the browser specific key board codes for Firefox.
Ensure the PDF file that summarizes return information that has been entered into CalFile is fully accessible to visually impaired users so the information can be verified prior to submission of their online return. The CalFile PDF for tax years 2015 and 2016 was modified to summarize information entered into CalFile for verification prior to submission for visually impaired users. The recommendation was fully implemented on 09/30/2016.
- Completion Date: September 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
1-Year Agency Response
Ensure keyboard-only users that navigate the Internet using the Firefox browser are able to select a security image when registering to use the CalFile application in order to file their return online. A software developer modified the code to call in the browser specific key board codes for Firefox.
Ensure the PDF file that summarizes return information that has been entered into CalFile is fully accessible to visually impaired users so the information can be verified prior to submission of their online return. The planned PDF solution did not pass accessibility testing in December of 2015. The results were inconsistent when using Job Access With Speech, NonVisual Desktop Access and keyboard. We are pursuing another solution to be completed by September 2016.
- Estimated Completion Date: 09/2016
- Response Date: May 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented
6-Month Agency Response
Ensure keyboard-only users that navigate the Internet using the Firefox browser are able to select a security image when registering to use the CalFile application in order to file their return online. A software developer modified the code on 05/27/2015 to call in the browser specific key board codes for Firefox.
Ensure the PDF file that summarizes return information that has been entered into CalFile is fully accessible to visually impaired users so the information can be verified prior to submission of their online return. The will be modified during FTB's Annual Change process beginning September 2015, where the application is updated for the new tax year. The change to ensure the PDF is fully accessible will be implemented by 01/04/2016.
- Estimated Completion Date: 01/04/2016
- Response Date: November 2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
60-Day Agency Response
Ensure the keyboard-only users that navigate the Internet using the Firefox browsers are able to select a security image when registering to use the CalFile application in order to file their return online. A software developer modified the code on 05/27/2015 to call in the browser specific key board codes for Firefox.
Ensure the PDF file that summarizes return information that has been entered into CalFile is fully accessible to visually impaired users so the information can be verified prior to submission of their online return. The application will be modified during FTB's Annual Change process beginning September 2015, where the application is updated for the new tax year. Although the changes will begin in September 2015, due to system updates, which occur annually, in December, the PDF will be fully accessible by 01/04/2016.
- Estimated Completion Date: 01/04/2016
- Response Date: July 2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented
All Recommendations in 2014-131
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.