TexasOnline Accessibility & Site Policies

Accessibility

Statement of Purpose

The Department of Information Resources is committed to providing an accessible web presence that enables the public full access to Texas government information and services. The Department of Information Resources has identified disability as a barrier to Internet access. This policy addresses accessibility from a disability standpoint. The following barriers to Internet access may be addressed in forthcoming versions of this policy: geographic barriers, economic barriers, and language barriers. Understanding that government has a responsibility to provide service to all citizens and businesses in its jurisdiction, the Department of Information Resources will make reasonable efforts to accommodate all users.

In order to make the TexasOnline website accessible, the Department of Information Resources has chosen to comply with high accessibility standards in order to make the TexasOnline web site accessible to all who visit. This policy describes these accessibility standards and may be updated periodically. The current version was approved on July 9, 2004.

Origin

The TexasOnline Electronic Framework Project and the TexasOnline Division of the Department of Information Resources were established pursuant to Subchapter I of Chapter 2054, Texas Government Code and the authority of the Department of Information Resources. This document is rendered under the sanction of the Department of Information Resources.

Definitions

Throughout this document unless otherwise specified:

"Accessibility" refers to capability of the public to reach online government services and information;
"DIR" means the Department of Information Resources;
"Standards compliant web browsers" are browsers that generally comply with the standards set forth by the Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C) or similar Internet standard setting bodies;
"TexasOnline" refers to any content or applications residing on the TexasOnline domains; or TexasOnline operation, and/or the staff of the primary contractor who manage, oversee or operate said content and applications;
"TexasOnline operation" means the TexasOnline operation of the Department of Information Resources; and
"TexasOnline domains" refer to the following: http://www.texasonline.com, http://www.state.tx.us, http://www.texasonline.state.tx.us, http://info.texas.gov, http://www.tx.gov and http://www.texas.gov.

TexasOnline Accessibility Policy / Disability Barriers

Some form of disability affects as much as twenty-three percent of the Texas population. These include but are not limited to hearing impairment, visual impairment and cognitive disorders.

The Department of Information Resources is committed to making TexasOnline accessible to all users. Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate all users who utilize standards compliant web browsers as well as enabling software or assistive devices. We welcome comments on how to improve the site's accessibility for users with disabilities.

Standard for Compliance

To ensure TexasOnline.com is accessible to everyone regardless of ability, we keep abreast of current accessibility practices and conduct testing throughout development of the web site and successively when applying new technologies and techniques. Achieving verification of the web site’s conformance with Section 508 is by means of various automated testing tools, such as Cynthia Says and aDesigner. Furthermore, adjunctive reviews conducted by volunteers of independent organizations work to bring the accessibility of TexasOnline.com to a more practical level.

Additional Information

Additional information about accessibility programs in Texas is available from the Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities. The Committee serves as a central source of information on the abilities, rights, problems, and needs of the estimated 4 million Texans with disabilities. The Committee's web site has additional information about the history of Texans with disabilities, statistical material and resources to provide a clearer picture about the number of people with disabilities and accessibility programs in Texas.

Contact Information

If you use assistive technology and the format of any material on our web site interferes with your ability to access the information, please email webmaster@dir.state.tx.us. To enable us to respond in a manner most helpful to you, please indicate the nature of your accessibility problem, the preferred format in which to receive the material, the web address of the requested material, and your contact information.

If you have any questions or concerns about the TexasOnline Accessibility Policy, please contact us at accessibility@www.state.tx.us. Each state agency and local government has its own accessibility policy, which can be accessed through TexasOnline.

If you need to contact us via TDD equipment, dial 7-1-1 and ask the Relay Texas agent to call the TexasOnline webmaster at (512) 475-4700. Relay Texas provides telephone-interpreting service between people who can hear and those who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled. For additional information please visit the Relay Texas web site.

Privacy

Statement of Purpose

This policy describes the privacy practices regarding information collected from visitors to TexasOnline. It contains information about what data is collected and how it is used. The TexasOnline Privacy and Security Policy applies only to the TexasOnline site. This policy does not apply whenever visitors leave the TexasOnline domains and follow a link to another site, including the sites of state agencies and local governments. If the address in the browser does not indicate one of the TexasOnline domains, you are no longer on the TexasOnline site. The privacy and security policy of the site owner of each site visited should be reviewed to determine how each site owner addresses personally identifiable information. This policy may be updated periodically.

This Policy was approved on October 10, 2003. It was amended October 2004.

Origin

The TexasOnline electronic framework project and the TexasOnline operation of the Department of Information Resources were established pursuant to Subchapter I of Chapter 2054, Texas Government Code and the authority of the Department of Information Resources.

Definitions

Throughout this document unless otherwise specified:

"DIR" means the Department of Information Resources;
"Governmental body" means those entities identified in the definition of governmental body found at Texas Government Code, Section 552.003, which is part of the Texas Public Information Act.
"Personally identifiable information" means information that could be used to name or distinguish an individual conducting business on TexasOnline from others. Personally identifiable information includes, but is not limited to: name; address; Social Security Number; credit card, debit card, or bank account information numbers; driver's license number, professional license number, occupational license number, and tax identification numbers; and email address.
"TexasOnline" refers to any content or applications residing on the TexasOnline domains; or the Department of Information Resources TexasOnline operation and/or the staff of the primary contractor who manage, oversee or operate said content and applications;
"TexasOnline operation" means the TexasOnline operation of the Department of Information Resources;
"TexasOnline domains" refer to the following: http://www.texasonline.com, http://www.state.tx.us, http://www.texasonline.state.tx.us, http://info.texas.gov, http://www.tx.gov, http://www.texasonline.gov and http://www.texas.gov.

Collection of Information

For online transactions conducted on TexasOnline, individuals will be requested to enter certain information about themselves and/or the organization with which they are affiliated. When personally identifiable information is requested, there will be an indication of whether the disclosure of such information is mandatory or optional to continue the transaction. The type of information requested will vary based upon the type of transaction and the state agency or local government involved in the transaction with the individual. TexasOnline will collect the same information as would be collected if the transaction was performed in person, over the telephone, or through the mail with the state agency or local government. Additional information may be requested if required by law, if such information is necessary to verify an individual’s identity and secure the transaction, or if the visitor would like updates regarding new features offered by TexasOnline. Information regarding TexasOnline features will only be sent to visitors if they explicitly choose to receive it.

For all other browsing, visitors are not asked for personally identifiable information, and none will be collected. The server logs and persistent cookies of TexasOnline collect information about the number and types of visitors to TexasOnline and how they use the website. This information includes the type of browser, operating system, and the Internet Protocol ("IP") address used by each visitor and similar information about the computer network used. It also includes information verifying when and how pages of the website were accessed. However, no attempt is made to match this information with the identity of the visitor, except as is required to comply with a law enforcement investigation.

Use of Information

Information collected in the course of the transaction is used for the following purposes:

To conduct online transactions with the appropriate state agency or local government (such as the payment of sales tax or the renewal of a license or permit);
To send an email to the individual using the online service confirming the transaction; or
To provide information about new features offered by TexasOnline, to visitors who have elected to opt-in to receive the service.

Metrics from TexasOnline server logs and persistent cookies are used for the following purposes:

assessing the usability of TexasOnline,
determining what information is of most interest to TexasOnline visitors,
establishing technical design specifications,
measuring TexasOnline system performance and
identifying potential issues associated with the interface or operation of TexasOnline

TexasOnline uses contractors to provide various products and services required for the operation of TexasOnline. Personally identifiable information may be shared with these contractors to the extent necessary to enable the necessary products and services to be provided. Contractors and subcontractors of TexasOnline are prohibited by contract from sharing and selling information from or about the users of TexasOnline.

TexasOnline will not disclose the email addresses of members of the public that have communicated electronically with a governmental body without the affirmative consent of the affected individual. Personally identifiable information contained in a question or comment sent to TexasOnline in an email message or submitted in an online form is only used by TexasOnline to respond to the question or comment. TexasOnline may redirect the message to a specific state agency or local government for response if TexasOnline staff believes that the state agency or local government may be in a better position to answer the question than the staff of TexasOnline.

The Department of Information Resources may be required by law enforcement or judicial authorities to provide personally identifiable information to the appropriate governmental authorities. The TexasOnline operation will cooperate with law enforcement agencies in identifying those who appear to be using our services for illegal activities. The TexasOnline operation reserve the right to report to law enforcement agencies any activities that they in good faith believe to be unlawful.

TexasOnline does not sell or release personally identifiable information. Information provided to any governmental body may be subject to disclosure pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act and applicable federal legislation. Information about the Texas Public Information Act is available from the Office of the Attorney General and at Texas Government Code, Chapter 552. Additionally, although TexasOnline does not sell or release personally identifiable information, certain state agencies or local governments whose sites are accessible through TexasOnline may have different policies concerning the sale or release of personally identifiable information. Information about those policies should be obtained from the appropriate state agency or local government.

Access to Information

Unless a governmental body is authorized to withhold the information from an individual under Texas Government Code, Section 552.023, individuals are entitled to receive the information that state agencies and local governments collected through TexasOnline. Pursuant to Texas Government Code, Sections 552.021 and 552.023, individuals are entitled to receive and review that information and to have inaccurate information corrected. Pursuant to Texas Government Code, Section 559.004, individuals are entitled to have each governmental body correct inaccurate information. Individuals who discover through the use of TexasOnline that information relating to the individual is incorrect must contact each appropriate state agency or local government directly to request the information held about them and to correct any inaccurate information. Pursuant to Texas Government Code, Chapter 552, each governmental body may charge a fee to an individual who requests information about the data collected about him or her. However, the governmental body may not charge a fee to the individual to correct the information.

Security

TexasOnline uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for secure transmissions. SSL applies encryption between two computers, in this case the individual’s personal computer and the TexasOnline server. TexasOnline utilizes 128-bit encryption, which is the strongest encryption currently standard in the marketplace. As a minimum, the following information will be protected when transmitted to TexasOnline:

Name;
Social Security Number;
All credit, debit, and charge card numbers;
Bank account and electronic check information;
Transaction payment information;
Personal identification numbers (PIN) and passwords; and
Email addresses.

A web browser will automatically activate the appropriate security features when initiating a transaction on TexasOnline. On most browsers, an unbroken key or locked padlock graphic at the bottom of the browser screen indicates that a secure connection is established.

Cookies

Some of the online transactions hosted on TexasOnline use cookies. A cookie is a small text file that a website stores on a visitor’s personal computer to track specific information about that visitor’s interaction with the website. The services hosted on TexasOnline use both session cookies and persistent cookies. A session cookie is temporary and only exists during a single session in which a visitor visits TexasOnline. Session cookies are used to keep track of a particular online transaction. TexasOnline session cookies are destroyed after successful completion of a transaction, after a few minutes of inactivity or when the browser is closed. Persistent cookies continue to exist after a few minutes of inactivity, after the browser is closed or after a visitor completes a single session. TexasOnline uses persistent cookies to track visitor activity on the site to structure content and make the TexasOnline websites easy to use. All persistent cookies from TexasOnline will expire within twenty-five months.

TexasOnline cookies do not contain or collect personal identifiable information about visitors. Moreover, TexasOnline will not match visitor activities with personally identifiable information.

If an individual’s web browser does not accept cookies, he or she may not be able to conduct online transactions on TexasOnline. However, this will not hinder normal browsing of the website.

TexasOnline does not utilize web bugs or any other technology to track user activity other than those stated in this policy.

Additional Information

To the extent allowed by the laws that establish the framework of open government, the Department of Information Resources has a firm commitment to protecting the personal privacy of TexasOnline visitors. For more information on cookies, review the World Wide Web Consortium's Frequently Asked Questions at http://www.w3.org/Security/Faq/wwwsf2.html#CLT-Q10. For more information on how to protect personal information online consult the U.S. Federal Trade Commission website at http://www.ftc.gov/privacy/index.html.

Contact Information

If you have any questions or concerns about the TexasOnline Privacy and Security Policy, please contact us at webmaster@dir.state.tx.us. If you have any questions or concerns about how state agencies and local governments handle personal information, please contact those governmental bodies directly.

Linking Policy

Statement of Purpose

This document outlines the policies for linking to and from the TexasOnline website(s). The mission of TexasOnline is to provide a single point of access to government and public information and services that is private, secure, convenient, efficient, service-oriented, and accessible to everyone.

TexasOnline will use the guidelines outlined below to link to information and services in order to provide a public portal that allows citizens and businesses to quickly locate and access electronic government services and related information. This policy may be updated periodically. The current version was approved on July 9, 2004.

Origin

Definitions

Throughout this document unless otherwise specified:

"TexasOnline operation" means the TexasOnline operation of the Department of Information Resources
"DIR" means the Department of Information Resources;
"TexasOnline" refers to any content or applications residing on the TexasOnline domains; or the Department of Information Resources TexasOnline operation and/or the staff of the primary contractor who manage, oversee or operate said content and applications;
"TexasOnline domains" refer to the following: http://www.texasonline.com, http://www.state.tx.us, http://www.texasonline.state.tx.us, http://info.texas.gov, http://www.tx.gov and http://www.texas.gov.
"Division Director" refers to the Director of the Service Delivery Division of the Department of Information Resources or his designee;
"Purpose of TexasOnline" means providing the electronic infrastructure described in Subchapter I of Chapter 2054, Texas Government Code commonly recognized as a portal that allows citizens and businesses to quickly locate and access electronic government services and information.

Links to TexasOnline

Advance permission to link to TexasOnline.com is not necessary. However, be aware that TexasOnline subpages, including the pages of state agencies and local governments, may change at any time without notice. Entities and individuals linking to TexasOnline must continuously verify links to our subpages.

Entities and individuals linking to TexasOnline shall not capture TexasOnline pages within frames, present TexasOnline content as its own, or otherwise misrepresent TexasOnline content. Furthermore, they shall not misinform users about the origin or ownership of TexasOnline content. Certain information on TexasOnline may be trademarked, service-marked, or otherwise protected as intellectual property. Protected intellectual property must be used in accordance with state and federal laws and must reflect the proper ownership of the intellectual property.

Any link to the TexasOnline site should be a full forward link that passes the client browser to TexasOnline unencumbered. The "Back" button should return the visitor to original site if the visitor wishes to back out.

Links from TexasOnline

This section outlines the criteria and requirements that external web sites must meet to have a link from TexasOnline. It also details how links are accepted and removed from TexasOnline.

TexasOnline reserves the right to link to external web sites that it feels would provide a service to the citizen.

Acceptance Criteria

TexasOnline links to federal, state, and local governments that provide information and services that benefit Texas citizens and businesses. At its discretion, TexasOnline will consider link requests to non-governmental web sites that contain information and/or services that further the purpose of TexasOnline.

TexasOnline is not a forum for public communication and debate. The criteria outlined in this section have been established to ensure that TexasOnline remains a non-public forum.

Every link request must undergo review to determine its relevance and appropriateness to the purpose of TexasOnline. Links are approved for TexasOnline based on the following criteria:

The external web site corresponds with the purpose of TexasOnline
The site's content is appropriate with respect to the purpose of TexasOnline and the site is not a
- Commercial site, which charges a fee for products or services online; (Notices of the availability of publications by government entities that charge for the publications or notices of government sponsored conferences that charge a registration fee are not commercial sites and may be considered for linking.)
- Site that exhibits hate, bias, discrimination, pornography, libelous or otherwise defamatory content;
- Site that advocates or promotes the use of alcohol or tobacco;
- Site that lobbies, advocates, or advances the policies and priorities of a particular industry, organization or enterprise. This includes sites of non-profit organizations;
- Site belonging to or supporting a political affiliation; or
- Site that furthers the agenda of a political organization or candidate running for office.

TexasOnline reserves the right to deny links if it determines that a web site contains misleading or unsubstantiated claims, conflicts with the purpose of TexasOnline, or does not meet one or more of the criteria set forth above in numbered sections or set out below in the Conditions for Link Maintenance on TexasOnline section.

Review Process

Email link requests to webmaster@dir.state.tx.us. Each link request should address how the site meets the two acceptance criteria outlined above.
The link request will be reviewed against the acceptance criteria set forth above. The decision of the Division Director is final as to whether the requesting site may have a link from TexasOnline.
Approved sites must comply with the following conditions for link maintenance and may be required to enter into a written linking agreement with DIR.

Conditions for Link Maintenance on TexasOnline

To give superior customer service to citizens and businesses accessing governmental information and services through TexasOnline, we require that external web sites linked from TexasOnline meet the following conditions in order to maintain a link on TexasOnline:

The linked site must provide the user with access to an email address and/or a customer service telephone number on every page of the site, in order for users to contact the site if there are problems with format, accuracy, timeliness, or payment processing.
Linked sites should not excessively burden the TexasOnline customer support system. If the site excessively burdens the TexasOnline customer support system, the Authority has discretion to take linked site off of TexasOnline. Any customer support required by TexasOnline may result in a charge of fees to the linked site.
When the user clicks on the external web site link, he/she must have easy access back to TexasOnline. One of two options can accomplish this:
- A link to TexasOnline can be established on the external website's main page; or
- The "Back" button returns the user to TexasOnline.
Linked sites must have a privacy and security policy accessible from their home page informing the user of what information is collected, how it is collected, how it is used, and how the user can review and correct the information. Linked sites must comply with accepted accessibility standards as provided by the Worldwide Web Consortium (http://www.w3c.org) to ensure that persons with disabilities may access these sites. Texas state agencies must follow 1 Texas Administrative Code Section 206.2, concerning State Web Sites (http://www.dir.state.tx.us/standards/S206.htm).
Linked sites must notify the TexasOnline Division at the email address provided below if the site to which TexasOnline links become inaccurate or inactive.

Removal Process

TexasOnline reserves the right to remove links if it determines that a web site contains misleading or unsubstantiated claims, conflicts with the purpose of TexasOnline, or does not meet one or more of the criteria set forth above in numbered sections or set out above in the Conditions for Link Maintenance on TexasOnline section.

Links from TexasOnline will be reviewed regularly and may be removed for the following reasons:

The link no longer points to the original information or resource to which it was intended to point;
The web site pointed to by the link contains inaccurate or misleading information or has changed such that it is no longer in compliance with the acceptance criteria;
The web site pointed to by the link violates the conditions for link maintenance;
Access to the information has become difficult due to non-standard formatting, lengthy download times, or intrusive advertising;
The link is permanently unreachable or remains unavailable for a lengthy period; and
The external web site fails to comply with the written linking agreement, if any.

The decision of the Division Director is final as to whether a link is to be removed from TexasOnline.

Contact Information

For questions and concerns regarding the linking policy, email us at webmaster@dir.state.tx.us.

Legal Notices

Any trademarks that appear on this site are the property of their respective owners, who may or may not be affiliated with, connected to, or sponsored by TexasOnline. TexasOnline respects the intellectual property of others. If you believe that your work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please contact us.

PLEASE NOTE that users of this web site are responsible for checking the accuracy, completeness, currency and/or suitability of all information. TexasOnline makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, currency, or suitability of the information provided via this web site. The State of Texas disclaims any express or implied warranty in providing for public use its computer system and any materials, information, graphics, products, or processes contained therein. It makes no warranty, express or implied, nor assumes any responsibility in the use of this service or its contents for its accuracy, completeness, currency, its use for any general or particular purpose, nor that such items or use of such items would not violate or infringe rights of others. This service is provided on a strictly "as is" basis.

The State of Texas specifically disclaims any and all liability for any claims or damages that may result from providing the Web site or the information it contains, including any Web sites maintained by third parties and linked to the TexasOnline site. TexasOnline may provide links to Web sites maintained by third parties if it is determined that they may be of interest to users. TexasOnline neither endorses the content, products, services, or viewpoints expressed by the linked sites, nor assumes any responsibility for the content of these linked web sites. TexasOnline makes no effort to independently verify, and does not exert editorial control over, information on pages outside of the "texasonline.state.tx.us" domain.

Upon leaving TexasOnline and linking to an external site, the policies governing TexasOnline no longer apply and users are subject to the external site’s policies. Questions and concerns regarding the information or services provided by a linked site must be directed to the entity or individual responsible for that site, rather than to TexasOnline.

Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the State of Texas, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

The materials are provided for public use on computer systems located within the State of Texas and for the use and benefit of citizens of Texas. Any person choosing to use this system or seeking access to information or materials on this system is subject to Texas jurisdiction. Any dispute arising therefrom shall be decided under the laws and in the courts in Texas.

Public Information Act