House Bill 666 from Delegate Nick Freitas, R-Culpeper, would require every state agency to notify affected Virginians if a data breach occurs in the agency’s electronic information system that could compromise a resident’s personal information.
Under Freitas’ bill, the agency would have to notify the state Chief Transformation Officer within 24 hours of the breach’s discovery and promptly notify affected residents.
The notification could be in acceptable forms, including written letters, telephone calls, electronic notices, or announcements of the breach on a state website or through the media.
The bill comes after multiple data breaches at Virginia agencies last year that affected millions of residents. Data was leaked including names, social security numbers, and other personal information.
Status of HB 666
At the time of this writing, HB 666 has been assigned to the House Communications, Technology, and Innovation Sub-Committee.