May 18, 2023 (Saint Paul, MN) – Governor Tim Walz proclaims May 18 to be Digital Accessibility Awareness Day to remind Minnesotans about the importance of providing equal access to online information about state services and programs to all individuals, including those living with disabilities. The State of Minnesota supports creating accessible digital content as a shared responsibility to enlighten others about digital access and inclusion in conjunction with Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). 

"“Learning about accessibility empowers us all. We need to meet our neighbors, families, and colleagues where they are at – and that includes designing our programs, technology, and services to be accessible to all. A more inclusive digital experience allows us to make a bigger difference in the lives of people.”

Tarek Tomes, MNIT Commissioner, State of Minnesota CIO

The Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) Office of Accessibility works to improve the accessibility and usability of technology products and services for Minnesotans and visitors. The Office provides resources and training to ensure state agencies develop digital content, websites, and services with accessibility in mind and comply with /mnit/government/policies/accessibility/stat-basis.jspstate and federal accessibility statutes.

MNIT will host a panel discussion and presentation for State of Minnesota employees on Thursday, May 18. To learn more about digital accessibility at the State of Minnesota, visit MNIT’s website or subscribe to the Digital Accessibility Hot Topics monthly newsletter.

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About Minnesota IT Services 

Minnesota IT Services, led by the state’s Chief Information Officer, is the Information Technology agency for Minnesota’s executive branch, providing enterprise and local IT services to over 70 agencies, boards, and commissions. MNIT employs more than 2,400 people. Together, we build, maintain, and secure the State’s IT infrastructure, applications, projects, and services. MNIT sets IT strategy, direction, policies, and standards for enterprise IT leadership and planning. We also serve Minnesotans by connecting all 87 counties, 300 cities, and 200 public higher education campuses across the state on the MNET network. Through public-private partnerships, our team proactively protects the state’s information systems and the private data of 5.7 million Minnesotans.