2026 SESSION

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE

26107256D

HOUSE BILL NO. 707

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on General Laws

on ________________)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Hayes)

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 55.3 of Title 2.2 a section numbered 2.2-5514.2, relating to state government; transaction of public business; prohibited website domains.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 55.3 of Title 2.2 a section numbered 2.2-5514.2 as follows:

§ 2.2-5514.2. Prohibited website domains.

A. For purposes of this section, "public body" means any legislative body; any court of the Commonwealth; any authority, board, bureau, commission, district, or agency of the Commonwealth; any political subdivision of the Commonwealth, including counties, cities, and towns, city councils, boards of supervisors, school boards, and planning commissions; and other organizations, corporations, or agencies in the Commonwealth supported wholly or principally by public funds. "Public body" does not include institutions of higher education, state museums, state hospitals, companies performing electronic toll collection services on behalf of the Commonwealth, the Virginia Tourism Authority, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority, the Virginia Retirement System, the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority, or the Commonwealth Savers Plan.

B. No public body shall maintain an official website for public use with a domain other than a .gov, .edu, or .museum domain.

C. Any email address that a public body provides to its employees shall utilize a .gov domain.

D. A domain other than a .gov domain, including a .edu or .museum domain, may be retained solely to redirect the public to the official .gov domain.

E. The Virginia Information Technologies Agency is authorized and directed to:

1. Promulgate guidelines and policies to interpret and implement the provisions of this section, including (i) guidelines regarding a reasonable transition period for existing websites and email systems; (ii) standards for approved redirect mechanisms; and (iii) procedures for exception requests or waivers; and

2. Ensure uniform compliance across public bodies, while allowing for practical and operational flexibility.

2. That the provisions of this act shall become effective on July 1, 2029.