Communications, Technology and Innovation

Monday, February 23, 2026·1h 2m·▶ Watch / Listen

The Virginia Communications, Technology and Innovation Committee advanced a geolocation data privacy bill unanimously and a cryptocurrency kiosk consumer protection bill 18-3, while carrying over an AI-in-health-insurance disclosure bill to 2027 over concerns about BEAD broadband funding conflicts and industry opposition.

Key Actions

·SB 394 – Education Bill (Similar to Delegate Rasool's Bill)No Vote

+ 3 more actions

Controversies

SB 586 – 'Solely based on AI' trigger language vs. any AI involvement

Doug Gray, on behalf of the Virginia Association of Health Plans, argued the bill's disclosure trigger should be limited to determinations 'solely based on AI' rather than any AI involvement, contending the current language would require disclosure in every instance. Senator Salim refused the change, stating insurance companies could structure their workflow to avoid ever triggering the statute if 'solely' were used.

+ 4 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“Geolocation data is not like a name on a mailing list. It is a digital tracking device that can reveal where someone lives, where they work, where their children go to school, where they worship, what doctors they visit, and what places they return to again and again.”
Senator Russet Perry — Senator Perry, sponsor of SB 338 prohibiting the sale of precise geolocation data, was describing to the committee why geolocation data warrants heightened protection under the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

Refer SB 394 to the education committeePassed

Move line amendments to SB 489No Vote

Report SB 489 with amendmentsPassed

Strike lines 36 and 37 of SB 338Passed

Carry over SB 586 to the 2027 sessionPassed

Report SB 338 as amendedPassed

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TranscriptPreview

All right. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Communications Technology and innovation committee. Monday, February 23 Full committee meeting for public consumption we did decide that we would not have subcommittees on the Senate bills because of the volume or lack thereof of the number of technology related bills that we have coming our way. So we'll handle all those bills in our full committee. So if you see anything regarding the subcommittee meeting that meets 8am on Mondays or the subcommittee that meets on Wednesdays, just know that those are canceled. All right. With that, we ask that the clerk please open the row. Members, please signify your attendance. I think it was already open. Please clear it and reset. I think we were testing or something. There we go. Members, please signify your presence. All right, we do have a quorum. Thank you so much. I wanted to kind of make an editorial comment, if you will, on chair's prerogative with regards to some of our technology bills that we'll be dealing with. And it has been the posture that we've had this entire session in this committee regarding the artificial intelligence bills that we have. For…

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