HB2669: Freedom of Information Act; allows public bodies to meet by electronic communication without quorum.

Chief Patron

Beverly Sherwood (R-29)
Winchester, VA
Served: 1994–

Progress

	Introduced
	Passed Committee
	Passed House
	Passed Senate
	Signed by Governor
	Became Law

Status

03/19/2007: signed by governor

View Entire History

Summary

Freedom of Information Act; electronic communication meetings; Governor-declared state of emergency. Allows public bodies to meet by electronic communication means without a quorum of the public body physically assembled at one location when (i) the Governor has declared a state of emergency in accordance with § 44-146.17, (ii) the meeting is necessary to take action to address the emergency, and (iii) the public body otherwise complies with the electronic communication meetings law. The bill also authorizes the local governing body to meet by electronic communication means when the Governor has declared a state of emergency in accordance with § 44-146.17 in an area that includes the locality and (a) the meeting is necessary to take action to address the emergency, (b) notice, reasonable under the circumstance, of the emergency meeting shall be given contemporaneously with the notice provided members of the public body conducting the meeting, (c) the local governing body makes arrangements for public participation, and (d) the local governing body otherwise complies with the electronic communication meetings law.

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Comments

Frosty Landon writes:

Amended to limit waiver of e-meeting rules for state officials when a governor declares a state of emergency. (But was it really needed? Probably not!)

Local-government waivers will be studied by the FOIA Council.

Posted 17 months ago. #