Technology

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 1250: Technology Governance and Coordination Program; established, report, sunset.

Department of Law; Technology Governance and Coordination Program; report. Directs the Office of the Attorney General to establish a Technology Governance and Coordination Program to support the Commonwealth's response to emergent technologies, including artificial intelligence, algorithmic systems, biometric systems, and automated decision-making tools. The bill requires the Office of the Attorney General to submit an annual report to the Joint Commission on Technology and Science by December 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyEstablishes program for emergent tech governance (AI, biometrics) to coordinate responses, aligning with data privacy oversight and proactive tech management indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence Emerging Technology

Track

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 971: College student-athletes; biometric data, protections and limitations.

College student-athletes; biometric data; protections and limitations. Prohibits any private institution of higher education, associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education, or baccalaureate public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth from disclosing to any individual or entity outside of the institution any enrolled student-athlete's biometric data, as defined in the bill, without the prior written consent of the student-athlete. The bill also prohibits any individual or entity from making the possession, use, or ownership of or the rights to any student-athlete's biometric data a condition of any contract with the student-athlete for the use of the student-athlete's name, image, or likeness without the prior written consent of the student-athlete in a writing that is separate and apart from such contract.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyProhibits unauthorized disclosure of biometric data without consent, strengthening data privacy protections for student-athletes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Consumer Data Protection

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 13, 2026

HB 493: Absentee voting; ballots received, marked, and cast electronically through the Internet.

Elections; absentee voting; accessibility; ballots received, marked, and cast electronically through the internet. Requires the Department of Elections to make available to all localities a tool to allow a voter with a visual impairment or print disability or a covered voter to receive, mark, and return his absentee ballot electronically through the internet. The bill makes the tool available through the internet in lieu of other currently available assistive technologies.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyEnables internet-based absentee voting for voters with disabilities, expanding digital access and promoting accessibility through technology use.95% confidence

Tags Elections

Track

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 743: Damage or trespass to public services or utilities or critical infrastructure; penalties.

Damage or trespass to public services or utilities or critical infrastructure; penalties. Adds the intentional destruction of or damage to any fixture, equipment, or information technology system that is used to provide, process, transmit, or maintain public services, public utilities, cable television, broadband, or other critical infrastructure, as defined in relevant law, to the existing offense of damage or trespass to public services or utilities. The bill contains technical amendments and is identical to HB 317.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds penalties for damaging critical infrastructure, expanding criminalization without reform focus per indicators.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill imposes penalties for damaging IT systems in critical infrastructure, protecting technology infrastructure from intentional harm, aligning with cybersecurity protection.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Broadband Access

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 3, 2026

HB 685: Genetic sequencing; use of foreign genetic sequencing, etc.

Genetic sequencing; organ transplants; use of foreign genetic sequencing or genetic sequencer operational and research software; foreign storage of genetic sequencing data; health insurance coverage for certain foreign organ transplants; civil penalty. Prohibits medical care facilities from (i) using genetic sequencers or any operational and research software, as such terms are defined in the bill, produced in a country designated as a foreign adversary by the federal government and (ii) storing genetic sequencing data with a country designated as a foreign adversary by the federal government. The bill requires medical care facilities to certify their compliance with such provisions, under penalty of perjury, annually with the Commissioner of Health and subjects medical care facilities that violate such provisions to civil penalties. The bill also prohibits health insurance carriers from covering human organ transplants that occur in China or other designated foreign countries and subjects carriers that violate this provision to civil penalties.

Topics ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyProhibits use of foreign genetic sequencing tech from adversary nations, restricting technology adoption for security reasons.90% confidence

Track

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 580: Consumer Counsel, Division of; establishing mechanisms for receiving and investigating complaints.

Division of Consumer Counsel; duties; artificial intelligence fraud and abuse. Expands the duties of the Division of Consumer Counsel to include establishing mechanisms for receiving and investigating complaints by the Commonwealth's consumers involving emerging technologies, including referring appropriate complaints to the federal, state, and local departments or agencies charged with the enforcement of applicable consumer laws.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyExpands consumer protection programs addressing AI fraud and abuse, establishing a statewide alert system to safeguard against tech-related harms.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence Tags Consumer Protection

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 384: Artificial intelligence; framework for person/entity acting as an independent verification org.

Joint Commission on Technology and Science; artificial intelligence; independent verification organizations. Directs the Joint Commission on Technology and Science (JCOTS) to evaluate the feasibility and impact of developing a framework for any person or entity seeking to act as an independent verification organization that assesses artificial intelligence models' or applications' adherence to standards reflecting best practices for the prevention of personal injury and property damage. The bill directs JCOTS to submit a report with its recommendations and any findings to the Chairs of the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and General Laws and Technology and the House Committees on Appropriations and Communications, Technology and Innovation by November 1, 2026.  This bill is identical to HB 797.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyCreates AI safety verification framework requiring adherence to standards preventing injury/damage, supporting consumer protection through regulatory oversight.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 2, 2026

HB 1521: Digital innovation & infrastructure; establishing rights in digital property & technology resources.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 59.1 a chapter numbered 58, consisting of sections numbered 59.1-607 through 59.1-616, relating to digital innovation and infrastructure; establishing rights in digital property and technology resources; requiring risk management policies for critical infrastructure facilities controlled by critical artificial intelligence systems; providing safe harbors; preempting local regulation; and providing for enforcement and remedies.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyEstablishes digital property rights, mandates AI risk management for critical infrastructure, and provides safe harbors for innovation, strengthening tech governance and digital rights protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

Track

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 876: Zoning; wireless facilities, temporary support structures.

Zoning; wireless facilities; temporary support structures. Requires a locality to include in its zoning ordinance provisions that allow for the use of temporary support structures that meet certain requirements. The bill defines a temporary support structure as a monopole or portable wireless communications facility used to provide wireless voice, data, or image transmission within a designated area. The bill provides that an application for a temporary support structure may request approval for up to 180 days with extensions not to exceed two years.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill enables wireless infrastructure deployment for data transmission, advancing internet access infrastructure through zoning provisions for temporary support structures.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Telecommunications

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 654: Consumer Data Protection Act; definition of "biometric data"; consent required for processing.

Consumer Data Protection Act; definition of "biometric data"; consent required for processing biometric data. Provides that, under the Consumer Data Protection Act, no consumer, controller, processor, or affiliate of the controller or processor shall process biometric data, defined separately in the bill, concerning an individual without obtaining the individual's consent, or, in the case of the processing of biometric data concerning a known child, without processing such data in accordance with the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires consent for biometric data processing, strengthening consumer data privacy protections under the Consumer Data Protection Act.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Consumer Data Protection Data Privacy

Track