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1996 SESSION

960956324
HOUSE BILL NO. 7
Offered January 10, 1996
Prefiled December 14, 1995
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 2.1 a chapter numbered 52, consisting of sections numbered 2.1-804 through 2.1-808, relating to government-owned computers; restrictions on access to materials with sexually explicit content; on-line gambling prohibited.
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Patrons-- Marshall, Clement, Nixon and O'Brien
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Referred to Committee on General Laws
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Title 2.1 a chapter numbered 52, consisting of sections numbered 2.1-804 through 2.1-808 as follows:

CHAPTER 52.
RESTRICTIONS ON STATE EMPLOYEE ACCESS
TO INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE.

§ 2.1-804. Definitions.

A. For the purpose of this chapter:

"Agency" means any agency, authority, board, department, division, commission, institution, institution of higher education, bureau, or like governmental entity of the Commonwealth.

"On-line Gambling" means the making, placing or receipt via computer, of any bet or wager of money or other thing of value, made in exchange for a chance to win a prize, stake or other consideration or thing of value, dependent upon the result of any game, contest or any other event the outcome of which is uncertain or a matter of chance, whether such game, contest or event, occurs or is to occur inside or outside the limits of this Commonwealth.

"Information Infrastructure" means telecommunications, cable, and computer networks and includes the Internet, the World Wide Web, Usenet, bulletin board systems, on-line systems, and telephone networks.

"Sexually explicit content" means (i) any description of or (ii) any picture, photograph, drawing, motion picture film, digital image or similar visual representation depicting, sexual bestiality, a lewd exhibition of nudity, as nudity is defined in § 18.2-390, sexual excitement, sexual conduct or sadomasochistic abuse, as also defined in § 18.2-390, coprophilia, urophilia, or fetishism.

§ 2.1-805. Restriction on agency employee access via computers to materials with sexually explicit content.

Except to the extent required in conjunction with a bona fide, agency-approved research project or other agency-approved undertaking, no agency employee shall utilize agency-owned or -leased computer equipment to access, download, print or store any information infrastructure files or services having sexually explicit content. Such agency approvals shall be given in writing by agency heads, and any such approvals shall be available to the public under the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, (§ 2.1-340 et seq.) of Title 2.1.

§ 2.1-806. Agencies to employ filtering technology.

A. To the fullest extent feasible, agencies shall obtain filtering software to inhibit employee access to information infrastructure files and services having sexually explicit content.

B. The Department of Information Technology shall assist all agencies in implementing the provisions of this section.

§ 2.1-807. On-line gambling with state-owned computers prohibited.

No agency employee shall utilize agency-owned or -leased computer equipment to access, download, print or store any information infrastructure files or services accessing or enabling on-line gambling.

§ 2.1-808. Agencies to inform employees of chapter's provisions.

All Agencies shall immediately furnish their current employees copies of this chapter's provisions, and shall furnish all new employees copies of this chapter concurrent with authorizing them to use agency computers.