Virginia Freedom of Information Act; amends definition of meeting, provisions of Act.
Summary
Virginia Freedom of Information Act; definitions of meetings and public business. Exempts certain public meetings from the definition of "meeting" under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act to clarify that three or more members of a public body may appear and participate in such public meeting without violating the Act, provided that no public business is transacted or discussed. The bill also exempts members of a public body who attend a public meeting of a second public body without violating the Act, provided that no public business is transacted or discussed. Finally, the bill defines "public business" as activity that a public body has undertaken or proposed to undertake on behalf of the people it represents. The bill states that its provisions are declarative of existing law. This bill is identical to SB 36.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2024
Committee Review
Mar 2024
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2024
Senate Passage
Mar 2024
Signed into Law
Apr 2024
Introduced Jan 9, 2024
Signed Apr 8, 2024
Floor votes · Senate Mar 4, 2024 · House of Delegates Feb 13, 2024
How they voted
39–0
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 40
Mar 4, 2024
D
Democratic21
95% Yea
R
Republican19
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
49
Key actions
15
Committee
11
Amendments
2
Apr 8, 2024
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 733 (effective 7/1/24)
executive
Mar 26, 2024
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 25, 2024
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 25, 2024
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB818ER)
lower
Mar 9, 2024
Upper · Passed
Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N)
upper
Mar 8, 2024
Lower · Passed
Conference report agreed to by House (96-Y 0-N)
lower
Mar 8, 2024
Legislature · Passed
Amended by conference committee
legislature
Mar 6, 2024
Committee
Senate requested conference committee
upper
Mar 4, 2024
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate with substitute (39-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 28, 2024
Upper · Passed
Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute (12-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 14, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
upper
Feb 13, 2024
Lower · Passed
VOTE: Block Vote Passage (99-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 13, 2024
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 12, 2024
Introduced
Engrossed by House as amended HB818E
lower
Feb 12, 2024
Lower · Passed
Committee amendments agreed to
lower
Feb 8, 2024
Lower · Passed
Reported from General Laws with amendment(s) (20-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 6, 2024
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendments (7-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 6, 2024
Lower · Passed
House subcommittee amendments and substitutes offered
lower
Jan 26, 2024
Committee
Assigned GL sub: Procurement/Open Government
lower
Jan 9, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on General Laws
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Mike Cherry
RRepublican
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