Thursday, May 15, 2008
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Tracking Virginia’s General Assembly
since 2007.
SB131: Freedom of Information Act; local public bodies may meet by electronic communication.
Chief Patron
Sen.
Edd Houck (D-17)
Edd Houck
(D-17)
Served: 1984–
Progress
 |
Introduced |
|
Passed Committee |
|
Passed House |
|
Passed Senate |
|
Signed by Governor |
|
Became Law |
Status
03/03/2008: signed by governor
Summary
Freedom of Information Act; electronic meetings; authority of local public bodies. Allows any local governing body, school board, or any authority, board, bureau, commission, district, or agency of local government to meet by electronic communication means without a quorum of the public body physically assembled at one location when the Governor has declared a state of emergency in accordance with § 44-146.17, provided (i) the catastrophic nature of the declared emergency makes it impracticable or unsafe to assemble a quorum in a single location and (ii) the purpose of the meeting is to address the emergency. The local public body convening the meeting shall (a) give public notice using the best available method given the nature of the emergency, which notice shall be given contemporaneously with the notice provided members of the local public body conducting the meeting; (b) make arrangements for public access to such meeting; and (c) otherwise comply with the provisions for electronic communication meetings. The nature of the emergency and the fact that the meeting was held by electronic communication means shall be stated in the minutes. The bill contains a technical amendment. The bill is a recommendation of the Freedom of Information Advisory Council.
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Votes were cast on this bill on the following dates for which Richmond Sunlight has video: 01/22/2008, 01/22/2008, 02/08/2008, 02/08/2008, 02/11/2008, 02/12/2008, 02/13/2008, 02/13/2008, 02/20/2008, 02/21/2008, 02/25/2008, 02/26/2008, 02/26/2008 and 03/06/2008.
Identical Bills
The following bills are identical to this one: HB854
Introduced: 2008-01-08
Status: signed by governor
Photosynthesis
This bill is being tracked by CVC, LLC, Spotsylvania County and Virginia Coalition for Open Government.
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Comments
Allows any local governing body, school board, or any authority, board, bureau, commission, district, or agency of local government to meet by electronic communication means without a quorum of the public body physically assembled at one location when the Governor has declared a state of emergency in accordance with § 44-146.17, provided (i) the catastrophic nature of the declared emergency makes it impracticable or unsafe to assemble a quorum in a single location and (ii) the purpose of the meeting is to address the emergency.
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