The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County
Freddie O'Connell, Mayor
Executive Order 47
Subject: Mandating the Use of .Gov Domain
I, Freddie O’Connell, Mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me, do hereby find, direct, and order the following:
I. Purpose
For the American people, the use of the .gov domain is a critical indicator that they are accessing official information, services, and communications. When .gov domains are used for websites, people have greater confidence that the information on those sites is authoritative and trustworthy. When .gov domains are used for email, people have greater confidence that the contents of that email are safe and secure.
As a result, the .gov domain contributes to increased public trust in online government information and services, as well as safer operations and communications among all branches and levels of government. Public trust in the .gov domain is contingent on clear and consistent use of government domains.
The internet has become a primary means by which the public receives information and services from the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. Therefore, it is critical that Metropolitan Government’s use of internet infrastructure employs high standards of quality to maintain public trust.
The use of a .gov domain is limited solely to U.S.-based government organizations and publicly controlled entities. Therefore, the public reasonably assumes that any information, services, and communications that use the .gov domain are official and authoritative.
Thus, in alignment with the federal guidelines set forth in the DOTGOV Online Trust in Government Act of 2020, this Executive Order mandates the use of .gov domains for all digital operations by departments and agencies within the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. This initiative aims to enhance public trust, ensure the delivery of secure and authoritative information, and align local digital services with federal standards of quality and security.
II. Scope
This Executive Order shall apply to all Metropolitan Government departments and agencies except the Nashville Electric Service, Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, Metropolitan Hospital Authority, Metropolitan Transit Authority, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, and the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency.
I hereby request that the Nashville Electric Service, Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, Metropolitan Hospital Authority, Metropolitan Transit Authority, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, and Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency develop a similar policy regarding the mandated use of .gov domains for the stated reasons.
This Executive Order shall not apply to external organizations that have been created in partnership with Metropolitan Government departments and agencies, such as “Friends of ...” groups. I hereby request that departments and agencies ensure such groups use .org domains as opposed to .com domains to better ensure trustworthiness in the site.
III. Implementation
All newly created domain registrations for Metropolitan Government departments and agencies as of the signing of this Executive Order will use .gov domains.
The Director of Information Technology Services shall develop a process for reviewing and approving domain registration requests, ensuring they meet any established requirements set by the .gov domain registrar.
The Director of Information Technology Services shall develop processes:
- for departments and agencies to report utilization of non-.gov domains, including hostnames used by internet-accessible information systems;
- to review all usage of non-.gov domains by departments and agencies, with the goal of limiting the use of non-.gov domain names for official communication, information, and service delivery; and
- to direct an agency to cease the use of a non-.gov domain name, if appropriate.
All entities must transition existing digital operations, including websites and email communications, to .gov domains by January 1, 2026.
Ordered, Effective and Issued: May 16, 2024
Freddie O’Connell
Metropolitan County Mayor