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SB1271

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; meetings held through electronic communication means.

Status:
Passed

Chief Patron:
Jeremy McPike (D)

Session:
2021 Regular Session

Summary

As Introduced. Virginia Freedom of Information Act; meetings held through electronic communication means during a state of emergency.

Allows a public body, or a joint meeting thereof, to meet by electronic communication means without a quorum of the public body physically assembled at one location when a locality in which the public body is located has declared a local state of emergency, provided that (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 provide for the continuity of operations of the public body or the discharge of its lawful purposes, duties, and responsibilities. Under current law, public bodies may only meet in such manner when the Governor has declared a state of emergency, and only for the purpose of addressing the emergency. Finally, the bill requires public bodies meeting through electronic communication means during a local or state declaration of a state of emergency to (a) make arrangements for public access to such meeting through electronic communication means, including videoconferencing if already used by the public body, and (b) provide the public with the opportunity to comment at such meetings when public comment is customarily received. (Less)

  • Bill History

  • 01/12/2021 - Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21101309D
  • 01/12/2021 - Senate: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
  • 01/14/2021 - Senate: Impact statement from DPB (SB1271)
  • 01/20/2021 - Senate: Reported from General Laws and Technology (15-Y 0-N)
  • 01/22/2021 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (37-Y 0-N)
  • 01/25/2021 - Senate: Read second time and engrossed
  • 01/26/2021 - Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)
  • 02/02/2021 - House: Placed on Calendar
  • 02/02/2021 - House: Read first time
  • 02/02/2021 - House: Referred to Committee on General Laws
  • 02/08/2021 - House: Continued to Special Session 1 in General Laws
  • 02/09/2021 - House: Assigned GL sub: Open Government/Procurement
  • 02/16/2021 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)
  • 02/18/2021 - House: Reported from General Laws (22-Y 0-N)
  • 02/22/2021 - House: Read second time
  • 02/23/2021 - House: Floor substitute printed 21200596D-H1 (Simon)
  • 02/23/2021 - Senate: Impact statement from DPB (SB1271H1)
  • 02/23/2021 - House: Read third time
  • 02/23/2021 - House: Substitute by Delegate Simon agreed to 21200596D-H1
  • 02/23/2021 - House: Engrossed by House - floor substitute SB1271H1
  • 02/23/2021 - House: Passed House with substitute (47-Y 44-N 1-A)
  • 02/23/2021 - House: VOTE: Passage (47-Y 44-N 1-A)   Close Floor Vote
  • 02/24/2021 - Senate: House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 39-N)
  • 02/25/2021 - House: House insisted on substitute
  • 02/25/2021 - House: House requested conference committee
  • 02/25/2021 - Senate: Senate acceded to request (38-Y 0-N)
  • 02/25/2021 - Senate: Conferees appointed by Senate
  • 02/25/2021 - Senate: Senators: McPike, Stuart, Boysko
  • 02/25/2021 - House: Conferees appointed by House
  • 02/25/2021 - House: Delegates: Simon, Carr, Orrock
  • 02/27/2021 - Conference: Amended by conference committee
  • 02/27/2021 - Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (27-Y 12-N)
  • 02/27/2021 - House: Conference report agreed to by House (54-Y 45_N)
  • 02/27/2021 - House: VOTE: Agreed To (54-Y 45-N)   Close Floor Vote
  • 03/09/2021 - Senate: Enrolled
  • 03/09/2021 - Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1271ER)
  • 03/09/2021 - Senate: Impact statement from DPB (SB1271ER)
  • 03/09/2021 - Senate: Signed by President
  • 03/11/2021 - House: Signed by Speaker
  • 03/15/2021 - Senate: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 15, 2021
  • 03/15/2021 - Governor: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 31, 2021
  • 03/31/2021 - Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 490 (effective 7/1/21)
  • 03/31/2021 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0490)

Full text and vote history:

Virginia Legislative Information System

RichmondSunlight.com

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