Local government: internet websites and email addresses.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide specific details about the reimbursement process or the exact nature of mandated costs.

Local Government Websites and Email Addresses

This law changes requirements for local government websites and email addresses in California, expanding which entities must use specific domain names.

What This Bill Does

• Expands the definition of 'local agency' to include special districts, school districts, joint powers authorities, and other political subdivisions.
• Requires these expanded groups to comply with website and email address requirements using '.gov' or '.ca.gov' domains by January 1, 2031.
• Allows community college districts or colleges to use a '.edu' domain instead of '.gov' or '.ca.gov'.
• Exempts K-12 public school districts from these website and email address requirements.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local government entities such as cities, counties, special districts, school districts, joint powers authorities, community college districts, and other political subdivisions.
• Employees of these local agencies who use public email addresses.

Terms To Know

local agency

A city, county, or city and county that maintains internet websites and email addresses for the public.

state-mandated local program

A program where the state requires local agencies to perform certain duties, which may include financial costs.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if an entity fails to comply with the domain requirements.
• It is unclear how much it will cost local entities to implement these changes and whether all entities can afford them.
• The exact reimbursement process for mandated costs by the state has not been detailed.

Official Summary Text

AB 810, as amended, Irwin.
Local government: internet websites and email addresses.
Existing law requires that a local agency that maintains an internet website for use by the public to ensure that the internet website uses a “.gov” top-level domain or a “.ca.gov” second-level domain no later than January 1, 2029. Existing law requires that a local agency that maintains public email addresses to ensure that each email address provided to its employees uses a “.gov” domain name or a “.ca.gov” domain name no later than January 1, 2029. Existing law defines “local agency” for these purposes as a city, county, or city and county.
This bill would
expand the definition of “local agency” to include
recast these provisions by instead requiring a city, county, or city
and county to comply with the above-described domain requirements and by deleting the term “local agency” from the above-described provisions. The bill would also require
a special district,
school district,
joint powers authority, or other political
subdivision, thereby requiring those entities
subdivision
to comply with
the above-described
similar
domain
requirements.
requirements no later than January 1, 2031.
The bill would allow a community college district or community college to use a “.edu” domain to satisfy these
requirements.
requirements, and would specify that these requirements do not apply to a K–12 public school district.
By adding to the duties of local officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

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