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.
HB707 would require most Virginia public bodies to use official websites with .gov, .edu, or .museum domains, and would require employee email addresses provided by public bodies to use .gov domains. The bill also allows non-.gov domains to be kept only for redirecting users to the official .gov site. It defines “public body” broadly to include state and local governmental entities and publicly funded organizations, while excluding several specified entities such as institutions of higher education, state museums, state hospitals, certain toll collection contractors, and a few named authorities and systems.
The bill directs the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) to issue implementation guidance, including transition timelines for existing websites and email systems, approved redirect standards, and waiver procedures. The act would not take effect until July 1, 2029, giving public bodies several years to adjust their web and email infrastructure. In practical terms, the measure would standardize how government entities present themselves online and communicate electronically, and could require changes to domain registrations, email systems, and public-facing web branding across state and local government.
HB707 would add a new section to Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia governing how public bodies transact public business online. It would impose a statewide domain-name requirement for official public websites and employee email addresses, while authorizing VITA to develop compliance policies and exceptions. The bill would affect state agencies, local governments, school boards, commissions, and other publicly funded bodies, but it expressly exempts certain institutions and authorities from the definition of public body for this purpose.
The available legislative history suggests the bill was not opposed in committee, but it also did not advance beyond committee and was continued to the next session by the General Laws and Technology Committee on a 15-0 vote. That vote indicates broad procedural support or at least no recorded opposition at the committee stage. Because no committee transcript is provided, there is no direct record here of debate, but the unanimous vote and continuation suggest the measure was treated as a policy proposal needing further consideration rather than one meeting immediate final approval.
The main points of potential contention are the scope of the mandate, the cost and complexity of converting existing websites and email systems, and the breadth of the public-body definition. Some entities are excluded entirely, which may raise questions about why certain authorities and systems are exempt while others are not. Another likely issue is whether requiring .gov domains for public communication is necessary or burdensome, especially for smaller localities or organizations that already use established non-.gov domains. The bill attempts to address these concerns by giving VITA authority to set transition periods, redirect standards, and waiver procedures.