Virginia Freedom of Information Act; definition of 'caregiver,' remote participation in meetings.
Summary
Virginia Freedom of Information Act; definition of "caregiver"; remote participation in meetings by persons with disabilities and caregivers; remote voting. Provides that for purposes of determining whether a quorum is physically assembled, an individual member of a public body who is a person with a disability or a caregiver, defined in the bill, and uses remote participation counts toward the quorum as if the individual was physically present. The bill also provides that the participation policy adopted by a public body, as required by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, shall not prohibit or restrict any individual member of a public body who is participating in an all-virtual meeting or who is using remote participation from voting on matters before the public body. As introduced, the bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council. This bill is identical to SB 85.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2024
Committee Review
Feb 2024
House of Delegates Passage
Feb 2024
Senate Passage
Mar 2024
Signed into Law
Apr 2024
Introduced Jan 10, 2024
Signed Apr 8, 2024
Floor votes · Senate Feb 19, 2024 · House of Delegates Jan 31, 2024
How they voted
26–12
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 40
Feb 19, 2024
D
Democratic21
95% Yea
R
Republican19
63% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
32
Key actions
10
Committee
6
Apr 8, 2024
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 610 (effective 7/1/24)
executive
Mar 1, 2024
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Feb 27, 2024
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Feb 27, 2024
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1040ER)
lower
Feb 19, 2024
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate with substitute (26-Y 12-N)
upper
Feb 14, 2024
Upper · Passed
Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute (14-Y 1-N)
upper
Feb 1, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
upper
Jan 31, 2024
Lower · Passed
VOTE: Block Vote Passage (100-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 31, 2024
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (100-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 25, 2024
Lower · Passed
Reported from General Laws (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 23, 2024
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 22, 2024
Committee
Assigned GL sub: Procurement/Open Government
lower
Jan 10, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on General Laws
lower
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Elizabeth Bennett-Parker
DDemocratic
Co
Adele McClure
DDemocratic
Co
Alfonso Lopez
DDemocratic
Co
Bonita Anthony
DDemocratic
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