Missouri Legislature Passes Bill Protecting Businesses from ADA Website Lawsuits
Missouri lawmakers unanimously passed legislation giving businesses 90 days to fix website accessibility issues before facing ADA lawsuits, addressing what they call frivolous litigation.
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI — The Missouri legislature has approved legislation designed to shield small businesses from what lawmakers call frivolous Americans with Disabilities Act website lawsuits, sending the measure to the governor’s desk.
The Act Against Abusive Website and Web Content Litigation received unanimous approval from both chambers, with the Senate providing final passage on Tuesday. The bill addresses a trend of lawsuits targeting businesses for minor website accessibility violations.
Growing Problem Across Missouri
More than 100 businesses in Missouri have faced such lawsuits, according to a 2025 ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuits Report. The violations typically involve issues like incompatibility with screen-reader software, insufficient color contrast, or missing captions and transcripts for video and audio content that make websites difficult for people with disabilities to navigate.
U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, a Republican from Tarkio, highlighted the national scope of the issue in a letter to constituents. He noted that website-related suits nationwide surged from 200 in 2016 to more than 4,000 in 2025, with more than half of the 4,000 cases filed by just 33 people.
Key Provisions and Protections
The Missouri legislation will provide businesses with a 90-day grace period to fix their websites after receiving a noncompliance warning, after which lawsuits can proceed. State Sen. Brad Hudson, a Republican from Cape Fair, introduced Senate Bill 907, which initially received unanimous approval before moving to the House.
The House made two significant amendments to expand the bill’s scope. The House General Laws Committee extended protections to all entities registered with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office, including churches and nonprofit organizations beyond just businesses.
During floor debate, representatives also adopted an amendment covering web content in addition to websites. This provision protects small business owners who use platforms such as Etsy, where sellers can set up individual storefronts but lack control over website settings needed for ADA compliance.
Legislative Process and Support
The House unanimously approved the amended legislation on April 16 before sending it back to the Senate for final approval. Hudson characterized the effort as an initiative involving various senators and representatives who contributed to the bill’s passage.
Graves is sponsoring similar federal legislation called the Protecting Small Businesses from Predatory Website Lawsuits Act in Washington. Lawmakers have criticized the current wave of lawsuits as cash grabs rather than good faith efforts to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
The bill now awaits Governor Mike Parson’s signature to become law.
