VA HB817 | 2016 | Regular Session

Status

Completed Legislative Action
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: Passed on April 1 2016 - 100% progression
Action: 2016-04-01 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0620)
Text: Latest bill text (Chaptered) [HTML]

Summary

Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); record exclusions; rule of redaction; no weight accorded to public body's determination. Reverses the holding of the Virginia Supreme Court in the case of Department of Corrections v. Surovell, by setting out the general rule of redaction, which provides that no provision of FOIA is intended, nor shall it be construed or applied, to authorize a public body to withhold a public record in its entirety on the grounds that some portion of the public record is excluded from disclosure by FOIA or by any other provision of law. Further, the bill states that a public record may be withheld from disclosure in its entirety only to the extent that an exclusion from disclosure under FOIA or other provision of law applies to the entire content of the public record. Otherwise, only those portions of the public record containing information subject to an exclusion under FOIA or other provision of law may be withheld, and all portions of the public record that are not so excluded shall be disclosed. The bill defines the term "information" and provides that it is declaratory of the law as is it existed prior to the September 17, 2015, decision of the Supreme Court of Virginia in the case of the Department of Corrections v. Surovell. The bill also reverses that part of the holding of the Virginia Supreme Court in the case of Department of Corrections v. Surovell by providing that in a FOIA enforcement action, no court shall be required to accord any weight to the determination of a public body as to whether an exclusion applies. The bill contains technical amendments.

Tracking Information

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Title

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; record exclusions, rule of redaction, etc.

Sponsors


Roll Calls

2016-03-04 - Senate - Senate: Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N) (Y: 39 N: 0 NV: 1 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2016-03-04 - Senate - Senate: Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N) (Y: 39 N: 0 NV: 1 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2016-03-04 - Senate - Senate: Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N) (Y: 39 N: 0 NV: 1 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2016-03-02 - Senate - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2016-02-29 - Senate - Senate: Reported from General Laws and Technology (10-Y 0-N) (Y: 10 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2016-02-16 - House - House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (99-Y 0-N) (Y: 102 N: 0 NV: 1 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2016-02-11 - House - House: Reported from General Laws with substitute (22-Y 0-N) (Y: 23 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2016-02-04 - House - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (6-Y 0-N) (Y: 6 N: 0 NV: 1 Abs: 0) [PASS]

History

DateChamberAction
2016-04-01 Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0620)
2016-04-01 Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 620 (effective 7/1/16)
2016-03-11 Governor: Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, Sunday, April 10, 2016
2016-03-11HouseEnrolled Bill communicated to Governor on 3/11/16
2016-03-10SenateSigned by President
2016-03-08HouseSigned by Speaker
2016-03-08HouseBill text as passed House and Senate (HB817ER)
2016-03-08HouseEnrolled
2016-03-04SenatePassed Senate (39-Y 0-N)
2016-03-04SenateReconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N)
2016-03-04SenatePassed Senate (39-Y 0-N)
2016-03-04SenateRead third time
2016-03-03SenatePassed by for the day
2016-03-03SenateRead third time
2016-03-02SenateConstitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N)
2016-02-29SenateReported from General Laws and Technology (10-Y 0-N)
2016-02-17SenateReferred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
2016-02-17SenateConstitutional reading dispensed
2016-02-16HouseVOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (99-Y 0-N)
2016-02-16HouseRead third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N)
2016-02-15HouseEngrossed by House - committee substitute HB817H1
2016-02-15HouseCommittee substitute agreed to 16105030D-H1
2016-02-15HouseRead second time
2016-02-13HouseRead first time
2016-02-11HouseCommittee substitute printed 16105030D-H1
2016-02-11HouseReported from General Laws with substitute (22-Y 0-N)
2016-02-04HouseSubcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (6-Y 0-N)
2016-01-18HouseAssigned GL sub: Subcommittee #2
2016-01-12HouseReferred to Committee on General Laws
2016-01-12HousePrefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/16 16103657D

Same As/Similar To

SB494 (Same As) 2016-04-06 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0716)

Code Citations

ChapterArticleSectionCitation TypeStatute Text
223704(n/a)See Bill Text
223704.01(n/a)See Bill Text
223705.1(n/a)See Bill Text
223705.7(n/a)See Bill Text
223711(n/a)See Bill Text
223713(n/a)See Bill Text

Virginia State Sources

TypeSource
Summaryhttps://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+sum+HB817
Texthttps://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+ful+HB817+hil
Texthttps://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+ful+HB817H1+hil
Texthttps://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+ful+HB817ER+hil
Texthttps://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+ful+CHAP0620+hil
Roll Callhttps://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+vot+H1102V0021+HB0817
Roll Callhttps://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+vot+H11V0103+HB0817
Roll Callhttps://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+vot+HV0610+HB0817
Roll Callhttps://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+vot+S12V0119+HB0817
Roll Callhttps://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+vot+SV0784HB0817+HB0817
Roll Callhttps://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+vot+SV0866HB0817+HB0817
Roll Callhttps://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+vot+SV0871HB0817+HB0817
Roll Callhttps://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+vot+SV0872HB0817+HB0817

Bill Comments

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