Bill > HB999

This bill, effective January 1, 2027, amends the Virginia Human Rights Act, the Virginia Fair Housing Law, and provisions related to equal credit opportunities to address the use of automated decision systems, which are defined as computational processes, including those derived from artificial intelligence systems or machine learning, used by creditors to evaluate, recommend, or take action on credit applications. It makes it an unlawful discriminatory practice to deploy, use, or rely on such a system for decisions under these laws if it results in discrimination or an unlawful disparate impact, or if it knowingly uses variables that closely resemble protected characteristics. The bill requires creditors using these systems to disclose their use to individuals affected by the decisions, conduct annual assessments for bias and discriminatory outcomes, and maintain records for at least two years. Furthermore, it mandates that no creditor can use an automated decision system to take an adverse action (defined as denial or change of credit) unless a human reviews and approves the final action, and creditors must establish policies to ensure compliance, with no new liability created beyond existing remedies.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Justice

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB999