                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

ACCEPTANCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRONIC RECORDS BY PUBLIC BODIES; ELECTRONIC
FILING OF INFORMATION PERMITTED (§ 59.1-496)

a. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (f) of &#xA7; 59.1-490, and upon
providing protection to preserve security and confidentiality, public bodies of
the Commonwealth may (i) accept the electronic filing of any information
required or permitted to be filed with such public body and (ii) prescribe the
methods of executing, recording, reproducing, and certifying electronically
filed information pursuant to subsection (b). Unless otherwise provided for in
the Code of Virginia, electronic filing in the courts of this Commonwealth shall
be governed by the Rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Virginia.

b. To the extent that public bodies of the Commonwealth use electronic records
and electronic signatures and accept electronic filings under subsection (a),
the following rules apply:

   1. Public bodies of the Commonwealth may specify the manner and format in
   which the electronic records must be created, generated, sent, communicated,
   received, and stored and the systems established for those purposes;

   2. Public bodies of the Commonwealth may specify the type of electronic
   signature required, the manner and format in which the electronic signature
   must be affixed to the electronic record, and the identity of, or criteria
   that must be met by, any third party used by a person filing a document to
   facilitate the process;

   3. Public bodies of the Commonwealth may specify control processes and
   procedures as appropriate to ensure adequate preservation, disposition,
   integrity, security, confidentiality, and auditability of electronic records;
   and

   4. Public bodies of the Commonwealth may establish other criteria to ensure
   the authenticity and validity of electronic signatures.

c. Except as otherwise provided in &#xA7; 59.1-490 (f), this chapter does not
require public bodies of the Commonwealth to use or permit the use of electronic
records or signatures.

HISTORY: 2000, c. 995.