VA HB854 | 2008 | Regular Session

Virginia House Bill 854 (Prior Session Legislation)

Status

Completed Legislative Action
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: Passed on April 2 2008 - 100% progression
Action: 2008-04-14 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0789)

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.

Title

Freedom of Information Act; local public bodies may meet by electronic communication.

History

Date	Chamber	Action
2008-04-14		Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0789)
2008-04-02		Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 789 (effective 7/1/08)
2008-03-09		Senate: Signed by President
2008-03-06		House: Signed by Speaker
2008-03-06		House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB854ER)
2008-03-06		House: Enrolled
2008-03-04		Senate: Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
2008-03-04		Senate: Read third time
2008-03-03		Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N)
2008-02-29		Senate: Passed by for the day
2008-02-27		Senate: Reported from General Laws and Technology (10-Y 0-N)
2008-02-19		Senate: Assigned GL&T sub: Subcommittee #1 (FOIA)
2008-02-11		Senate: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
2008-02-11		Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed
2008-02-08		House: Communicated to Senate
2008-02-08		House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (99-Y 0-N)
2008-02-08		House: Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N)
2008-02-07		House: Read second time and engrossed
2008-02-06		House: Read first time
2008-02-05		House: Reported from General Laws (22-Y 0-N)
2008-01-17		House: Assigned GL sub: FOIA
2008-01-08		House: Referred to Committee on General Laws
2008-01-08		House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 081764492