SB 734 Virginia Senate · 2024 Regular Session

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 HB 894.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2024
Committee Review
Feb 2024
Senate Passage
Feb 2024
House of Delegates Passage
Feb 2024
Signed into Law
Mar 2024
Introduced Jan 19, 2024 Signed Mar 20, 2024
Floor votes · Senate Feb 6, 2024 · House of Delegates Feb 20, 2024

How they voted

35–4
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 40
Feb 6, 2024
D Democratic21
20 Yea 1 Nay
95% Yea
R Republican19
15 Yea 3 Nay 1
78% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
24
Key actions
9
Committee
4
Mar 20, 2024
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 129 (effective 7/1/24)
executive
Feb 29, 2024
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Feb 26, 2024
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Feb 26, 2024
Upper · Passed
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB734ER)
upper
Feb 20, 2024
Lower · Passed
VOTE: Passage (79-Y 20-N)
lower
Feb 20, 2024
Lower · Passed
Passed House (79-Y 20-N)
lower
Feb 15, 2024
Lower · Passed
Reported from General Laws (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 13, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on General Laws
lower
Feb 6, 2024
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate (35-Y 4-N)
upper
Jan 31, 2024
Upper · Passed
Reported from General Laws and Technology (14-Y 0-N 1-A)
upper
Jan 19, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
upper
Jan 19, 2024
Introduced
Presented and ordered printed 24102038D
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Dave Marsden
Dave Marsden
DDemocratic
VA
35