diff --git a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
index 9fec0a999..368027753 100644
--- a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ def question_type_javascript_params(question)
     elsif question.question_type == 'textarea'
       "form.querySelector(\"##{question.ui_selector}\") && form.querySelector(\"##{question.ui_selector}\").value"
     elsif question.question_type == 'rich_textarea'
-      "form.querySelector(\"##{question.ui_selector}\") && form.querySelector(\"##{question.ui_selector}\").value"
+      "form.querySelector(\"#hidden-#{question.ui_selector}\") && form.querySelector(\"#hidden-#{question.ui_selector}\").value" # Quill stores rich input text in hidden fields
     elsif question.question_type == 'radio_buttons'
       "form.querySelector(\"input[name=#{question.ui_selector}]:checked\") && form.querySelector(\"input[name=#{question.ui_selector}]:checked\").value"
     elsif question.question_type == 'star_radio_buttons'
diff --git a/app/views/admin/questions/_form.html.erb b/app/views/admin/questions/_form.html.erb
index 01a8026ae..58d243705 100644
--- a/app/views/admin/questions/_form.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/admin/questions/_form.html.erb
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
           <%= f.text_field :placeholder_text, class: "usa-input" %>
         </div>
         <% end %>
-        <%- if ["text_field", "textarea", "text_email_field","text_phone_field"].include?(question.question_type) %>
+        <%- if ["text_field", "textarea", "rich_textarea", "text_email_field", "text_phone_field"].include?(question.question_type) %>
         <div class="field character-limit">
           <%= f.label :character_limit, class: "usa-label" %>
           <%= f.number_field :character_limit, class: "usa-input", max: Question::MAX_CHARACTERS %>
diff --git a/app/views/components/forms/question_types/_rich_textarea.html.erb b/app/views/components/forms/question_types/_rich_textarea.html.erb
index bfff16c14..b36eb6753 100644
--- a/app/views/components/forms/question_types/_rich_textarea.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/components/forms/question_types/_rich_textarea.html.erb
@@ -16,10 +16,22 @@
   <%= render 'components/question_title_label', question: question %>
   <input
     type="hidden"
-    name="my_model[rich_text]"
-    id="<%= question.ui_selector %>">
+    name="hidden-<%= question.ui_selector %>"
+    <%- if question.is_required %>
+    required="true"
+    <% end %>
+    id="hidden-<%= question.ui_selector %>">
   <div
-    id="quill-editor-<%= question.ui_selector %>"
+    id="<%= question.ui_selector %>"
     class="editor"
+    name="<%= question.ui_selector %>"
+    maxlength="<%= question.max_length %>"
     style="min-height: 100px;"></div>
+  <span
+    class="counter-msg usa-hint usa-character-count__message"
+    aria-live="polite"
+    <%= "hidden=true" unless question.character_limit && question.character_limit > 0 %>
+  >
+    <%= question.max_length %> characters allowed
+  </span>
 </div>
diff --git a/app/views/components/widget/_fba.js.erb b/app/views/components/widget/_fba.js.erb
index 865902d96..997362a33 100644
--- a/app/views/components/widget/_fba.js.erb
+++ b/app/views/components/widget/_fba.js.erb
@@ -27,9 +27,6 @@ function FBAform(d, N) {
 		},
 		init: function(options) {
 			this.javascriptIsEnabled();
-			<%- if form.has_rich_text_questions? %>
-			this.loadQuill();
-			<% end %>
 			this.options = options;
 			if (this.options.loadCSS) {
 				this._loadCss();
@@ -38,6 +35,7 @@ function FBAform(d, N) {
 			if (!this.options.suppressUI && (this.options.deliveryMethod && this.options.deliveryMethod === 'modal')) {
 				this.loadButton();
 			}
+			this.enableLocalStorage();
 			this._bindEventListeners();
 			this.successState = false; // initially false
 			this._pagination();
@@ -47,7 +45,9 @@ function FBAform(d, N) {
 			<%- if form.enable_turnstile? %>
 			this.loadTurnstile();
 			<% end %>
-			this.enableLocalStorage();
+			<%- if form.has_rich_text_questions? %>
+			this.loadQuill();
+			<% end %>
 			d.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('onTouchpointsFormLoaded', {
 				detail: {
 					formComponent: this
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ function FBAform(d, N) {
 		_bindEventListeners: function() {
 			var self = this;
 
-			const textareas = this.formComponent().querySelectorAll(".usa-textarea");
+			const textareas = this.formComponent().querySelectorAll(".usa-textarea, .ql-editor");
 			textareas.forEach(function(textarea) {
 				if (textarea.getAttribute("maxlength") != '0' && textarea.getAttribute("maxlength") != '10000')  {
 					textarea.addEventListener("keyup", self.textCounter);
@@ -79,6 +79,12 @@ function FBAform(d, N) {
 				var style = d.createElement('style');
 				style.innerHTML = this.options.css;
 				d.head.appendChild(style);
+				<%- if form.has_rich_text_questions? %>
+				var quillStyles = d.createElement('link');
+				quillStyles.setAttribute("href", "<%= asset_path('quill-snow.css') %>")
+				quillStyles.setAttribute("rel", "stylesheet")
+				d.head.appendChild(quillStyles);
+				<% end %>
 			}
 		},
 		_loadHtml: function() {
@@ -250,7 +256,9 @@ function FBAform(d, N) {
 					if (item.selectedIndex > 0) delete(questions[item.name]);
 					break;
 				default:
-					if (item.value.length > 0) delete(questions[item.name]);
+					const quillDefaultHTML = "<p><br></p>";
+					if (item.value.length > 0 &&
+						item.value != quillDefaultHTML) delete(questions[item.name]);
 				}
 			});
 			for (var key in questions) {
@@ -671,6 +679,8 @@ function FBAform(d, N) {
 			document.querySelectorAll(".quill").forEach((wrapper) => {
 				const editorContainer = wrapper.querySelector(".editor");
 				const hiddenInput = wrapper.querySelector("input[type=hidden]");
+				const countDisplay = wrapper.querySelector('.usa-character-count__message');
+				const maxLimit = editorContainer.getAttribute("maxlength");
 
 				if (editorContainer && hiddenInput) {
 					const quill = new Quill(editorContainer, {
@@ -684,12 +694,19 @@ function FBAform(d, N) {
 						}
 					});
 
+					quill.root.innerHTML = hiddenInput.value; // Restore values
+
 					// Sync to hidden field on change
 					quill.on('text-change', function () {
+						updateCount();
 						hiddenInput.value = quill.root.innerHTML;
 					});
-				}
 
+					const updateCount = () => {
+						const html = quill.root.innerHTML;
+						countDisplay.textContent = "" + (maxLimit - html.length) + " <%= t :characters_left %>";
+					};
+				}
 			});
 		},
 		<% end %>
@@ -732,6 +749,21 @@ function FBAform(d, N) {
 			<%# Save data to localStorage as the user types %>
 			form.addEventListener('input', (event) => {
 				const inputData = {};
+
+				<%- if form.has_rich_text_questions? %>
+				document.querySelectorAll(".quill").forEach((wrapper) => {
+					const editorContainer = wrapper.querySelector(".editor");
+					const hiddenInput = wrapper.querySelector("input[type=hidden]");
+
+					if (editorContainer && hiddenInput) {
+						const quillInstance = Quill.find(editorContainer);
+						if (quillInstance) {
+							hiddenInput.value = quillInstance.root.innerHTML;
+						}
+					}
+				});
+				<% end %>
+
 				const formData = new FormData(form);
 				formData.forEach((value, key) => {
 					inputData[key] = value;
diff --git a/app/views/components/widget/_widget.css.erb b/app/views/components/widget/_widget.css.erb
index 25a1b3f44..38de4891f 100644
--- a/app/views/components/widget/_widget.css.erb
+++ b/app/views/components/widget/_widget.css.erb
@@ -1077,6 +1077,6 @@
   max-width: 100%;
 }
 
-<%- if form.has_rich_text_questions? %>
-  <%= File.read(Rails.root.join("app/assets/stylesheets/quill-snow.css")) %>
-<% end %>
+.ql-editor[contentEditable=true]:focus {
+  outline: none;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/features/touchpoints_spec.rb b/spec/features/touchpoints_spec.rb
index 4ee85b3a4..de21f0ce7 100644
--- a/spec/features/touchpoints_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/touchpoints_spec.rb
@@ -272,6 +272,32 @@
       end
     end
 
+    describe 'rich text question' do
+      let(:rich_text_form) { FactoryBot.create(:form, organization:) }
+      let!(:rich_text_question_1) { FactoryBot.create(:question, form: rich_text_form, position: 1, form_section: rich_text_form.form_sections.first, question_type: "rich_textarea", answer_field: 'answer_01', text: "Q1" ) }
+      let!(:rich_text_question_2) { FactoryBot.create(:question, form: rich_text_form, position: 2, form_section: rich_text_form.form_sections.first, question_type: "rich_textarea", answer_field: 'answer_02', text: "Q2", is_required: true) }
+      let!(:rich_text_question_3) { FactoryBot.create(:question, form: rich_text_form, position: 3, form_section: rich_text_form.form_sections.first,  question_type: "rich_textarea", answer_field: 'answer_03', text: "Q3", character_limit: 300) }
+
+      before do
+        visit touchpoint_path(rich_text_form)
+        find("##{rich_text_question_1.ui_selector} .ql-editor").send_keys("some text goes here")
+        find("##{rich_text_question_2.ui_selector}").click
+      end
+
+      it 'persists rich text values from localStorage' do
+        expect(find("#hidden-#{rich_text_question_1.ui_selector}", visible: false).value).to eq("<p>some text goes here</p>")
+        visit touchpoint_path(rich_text_form)
+        expect(find("#hidden-#{rich_text_question_1.ui_selector}", visible: false).value).to eq("<p>some text goes here</p>")
+        find("##{rich_text_question_3.ui_selector} .ql-editor").send_keys("some more text goes here")
+        expect(page).to have_content("269 characters left")
+        click_on "Submit"
+        expect(page).to have_content("A response is required: Q2")
+        find("##{rich_text_question_2.ui_selector} .ql-editor").send_keys("okay now")
+        click_on "Submit"
+        expect(page).to have_content("Thank you. Your feedback has been received.")
+      end
+    end
+
     describe 'states dropdown question' do
       let!(:dropdown_form) { FactoryBot.create(:form, :states_dropdown_form, organization:) }