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Bill

HB 707

State government; transaction of public business, prohibited website domains.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Cliff Hayes

Virginia bill restricting state agencies to official domain extensions for public business transactions to enhance security and prevent impersonation.

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (5-Y 4-N)
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Bill Summary · HB 707

Legislative bill overview

HB 707 restricts Virginia state government agencies from conducting public business through websites using certain domain extensions, likely focusing on non-traditional or commercial domains rather than official .gov or .virginia.gov addresses. The bill appears designed to ensure government transactions occur through officially recognized and controlled digital platforms.

Why is this important

State government websites are critical infrastructure for citizen access to services, permits, records, and official communications. Limiting which domains agencies can use helps protect public data security, prevents fraud and impersonation, and ensures consistent public trust in government digital services. This becomes increasingly important as online government services expand.

Potential points of contention

  • Operational flexibility: Agencies may use third-party platforms (.com, .org, etc.) for legitimate purposes like public outreach, constituent surveys, or partnerships; overly restrictive language could limit functionality
  • Ambiguous scope: The bill's specific language on "prohibited" domains isn't detailed in available summaries, creating uncertainty about which platforms would be affected and whether existing agency practices would be grandfathered
  • Implementation costs: Agencies hosting services on non-traditional domains would face migration expenses and potential service disruption during transition periods

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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