On February 25, the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee voted unanimously (15-0) to continue to 2027 and refer HB 707 (Hayes) to the Joint Commission on Technology and Science (JCOTS). The bill, as introduced, would prohibit a public body, defined in the bill, from maintaining an official website for public use with a domain other than a .gov, .edu, or .museum domain. The bill provides that any email address that a public body provides to its employees shall utilize a .gov domain and directs the Virginia Information Technologies Agency to promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2029. Delegate Hayes currently serves as the Chairman of JCOTS.
VACo Contact: Jeremy R. Bennett