Bill Text: VA HB816 | 2024 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: FOIA; meetings held through electronic communication during declared states of emergency.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-04-02 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0305) [HB816 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HB816-Prefiled.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the third enactment of Chapter 597 of the Acts of Assembly of 2022 is amended and reenacted as follows:
3. The law will be effective on September 1, 2022. The provisions of §2.2-3708.2 of the Code of Virginia, as amended by this act, are declarative of existing law since March 20, 2020, with respect to the Governor's declared state of emergency due to COVID-19. For any meeting by a public body using electronic communication means occurring from that date until July 1, 2021, the meeting and any otherwise lawful action taken at it is hereby validated with respect to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§2.2-3700 et seq. of the Code of Virginia, as amended by this act) if the body provided public notice, public access, and public comment commensurate with the requirements of §2.2-3708.2 of the Code of Virginia, as amended by this act, and §§ 2.2-3710, 2.2-3711, and 2.2-3712 of the Code of Virginia.