Virginia Freedom of Information Act; electronic meetings.
Summary
Virginia Freedom of Information Act; electronic meetings. Amends the number of all-virtual public meetings that public bodies, with certain exceptions, may convene in a calendar year to no more than two times per calendar year or 50 percent of the meetings held per calendar year rounded up to the next whole number, whichever is greater. Current law limits the number of all-virtual public meetings to no more than two times per calendar year or 25 percent of the meetings held per calendar year rounded up to the next whole number, whichever is greater. The bill also provides that with respect to all-virtual public meetings, when audio-visual technology is available, a member of a public body shall, for purposes of a quorum, be considered absent from any portion of the meeting during which visual communication with the member is voluntarily disconnected or otherwise fails or during which audio communication involuntarily fails. This bill is identical to SB 734.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2024
Committee Review
Feb 2024
House of Delegates Passage
Feb 2024
Senate Passage
Feb 2024
Signed into Law
Mar 2024
Introduced Jan 9, 2024
Signed Mar 8, 2024
Floor votes · Senate Feb 19, 2024 · House of Delegates Jan 31, 2024
How they voted
39–0
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 40
Feb 19, 2024
D
Democratic21
100% Yea
R
Republican19
94% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
27
Key actions
11
Committee
6
Mar 8, 2024
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 56 (effective 7/1/24)
executive
Feb 25, 2024
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Feb 22, 2024
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Feb 22, 2024
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB894ER)
lower
Feb 19, 2024
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (32-Y 7-N)
upper
Feb 19, 2024
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (32-Y 6-N)
upper
Feb 14, 2024
Upper · Passed
Reported from General Laws and Technology (14-Y 0-N 1-A)
upper
Feb 1, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
upper
Jan 31, 2024
Lower · Passed
VOTE: Passage (74-Y 26-N)
lower
Jan 31, 2024
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (74-Y 26-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 9, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on General Laws
lower
1 primary · 13 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Elizabeth Bennett-Parker
DDemocratic
Co
Adele McClure
DDemocratic
Co
Amy Laufer
DDemocratic
Co
Barbara Favola
DDemocratic
Co
Briana Sewell
DDemocratic
Co
Candi King
DDemocratic
Co
Cia Price
DDemocratic
Co
Cliff Hayes
DDemocratic
Co
Irene Shin
DDemocratic
Co
Jackie Glass
DDemocratic
Co
Jennifer Boysko
DDemocratic
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