Virginia becomes the first state to advance the Independent Verification Organization (IVO) framework through legislation

RICHMOND, Va., April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Governor Abigail Spanberger signed SB 384 / HB 797, directing Virginia's Joint Commission on Technology and Science (JCOTS) to evaluate the development of a framework for Independent Verification Organizations (IVOs): independent, expert-led bodies that verify whether AI systems meet safety standards. The legislation, introduced by Delegate Cliff Hayes, Jr. (D–Chesapeake) and Senator Angelia Williams Graves (D–Norfolk), passed both chambers with strong bipartisan support 84-14 and 40-0, reflecting a growing consensus that AI governance requires new institutional approaches beyond traditional "command and control" regulation or industry self-policing.

The IVO framework is a governance approach designed to increase safety, trust, and innovation by giving consumers and deploying businesses confidence in the AI products and systems they use. Under the IVO framework, a state government sets outcome-based safety goals, then authorizes a marketplace of independent verification organizations to develop technical criteria and verify whether AI products meet those goals. AI companies voluntarily elect to have their products verified, and those that achieve verification earn a trusted seal of approval and evidentiary support in the case of litigation. This framework is designed to keep pace with the speed of AI innovation in a way that traditional regulation cannot and to solve for the technical deficit that governments face in regulating AI, while providing far more meaningful accountability than industry self-governance, and is modeled on approaches taken in other industries, such as financial auditing, product safety, and clinical trials.

"As Chairman of the Joint Commission on Technology and Science, I've seen firsthand how quickly AI is being deployed across every sector of our economy, and how difficult it is for governance to keep pace," said Delegate Cliff Hayes, Jr. "Our legislation recognizes that a new technology requires a new approach to governance. The IVO framework offers exactly that: a way to put independent technical experts at the center of AI oversight, working within a voluntary structure that our government can oversee and the public can trust. I look forward to leading JCOTS through this evaluation so we can build a governance model that works for Virginians."

"The families and communities I represent aren't asking for government to slow down innovation—they're asking for someone to be looking out for them as powerful new technologies enter their daily lives," said Senator Angelia Williams Graves. "Independent Verification Organizations help provide that accountability. This framework ensures that when an AI system is used to make decisions that affect Virginians' health, safety, or livelihoods, it has been verified by experts who answer to the public, not to the companies building the technology."

"This legislation reflects a practical reality: government alone cannot keep up with the pace of AI development, and industry cannot be expected to police itself," said Andrew Freedman, Co-Founder and CEO of Fathom. "Virginia is charting a path that empowers independent experts to ensure AI is safe and accountable, while preserving the innovation and economic growth that make the Commonwealth a leader in technology. This is exactly the kind of smart, forward-looking governance the moment demands, and we are proud to support the Governor and legislature in this effort."

Virginia's action comes at a critical juncture. As AI capabilities accelerate and are deployed across healthcare, education, criminal justice, and critical infrastructure, particularly in an agentic capacity, the gap between the technology's reach and society's ability to oversee it continues to widen. With the world's largest concentration of data centers and a technology economy that is central to the state's future, Virginia is uniquely positioned to lead on governance approaches that protect the public while maintaining a competitive business environment. The JCOTS study authorized by this legislation will lay the groundwork for what could become the nation's first operational IVO framework.

About Fathom: Fathom is an independent nonprofit whose mission is to build a governance architecture that helps society navigate the transition to a world with AI by fostering trust, safety, and innovation. Learn more at http://fathom.org.

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SOURCE Fathom AI Inc.