Virginia Freedom of Information Act; public access to meetings of public bodies. (HB1540)

Introduced By

Del. Jim LeMunyon (R-Oak Hill)

Progress

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

Description

Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); public access to meetings of public bodies. Revises FOIA's various open meeting exemptions relating to legal matters, litigation, certain museums, and the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority. The bill also (i) clarifies where meeting notices and minutes are to be posted, (ii) requires copies of proposed agendas to be made available, (iii) eliminates reporting to the Joint Commission on Science and Technology when a state public body convenes an electronic communication meeting, and (iv) makes technical corrections to several open meeting exemptions to provide context for those meeting exemptions that currently only cross-reference corollary records exemptions. The bill also clarifies closed meeting procedures. The bill contains numerous technical corrections. This bill is a recommendation of the Freedom of Information Advisory Council pursuant to the HJR 96 FOIA study (2014-2016). Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
12/27/2016Committee
12/27/2016Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/17 17101247D
12/27/2016Referred to Committee on General Laws
01/11/2017Assigned GL sub: Subcommittee #2
01/12/2017Impact statement from DHCD (HB1540)
01/17/2017Impact statement from DPB (HB1540)
01/26/2017Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N)
01/30/2017Impact statement from DHCD/CLG (HB1540)
02/02/2017Reported from General Laws (20-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/04/2017Read first time
02/06/2017Read second time and engrossed
02/07/2017Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (97-Y 0-N)
02/07/2017VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (97-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/08/2017Constitutional reading dispensed
02/08/2017Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
02/13/2017Reported from General Laws and Technology (12-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/15/2017Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/16/2017Read third time
02/16/2017Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/16/2017Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/16/2017Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/20/2017Enrolled
02/20/2017Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1540ER)
02/20/2017Signed by Speaker
02/21/2017Signed by President
02/21/2017Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on 2/21/17
02/21/2017G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, March 27, 2017
02/23/2017Impact statement from DPB (HB1540ER)
03/16/2017G Approved by Governor-Chapter 616 (effective 7/1/17)
03/16/2017G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0616)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 1 clip in all, totaling 45 seconds.