HB 609

Abstract

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; applicability to certain records of the Office of Executive Secretary and judicial officers; duties of Executive Secretary to the Supreme Court. Provides that for the purposes of the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act that are applicable to access to public records, the Office of Executive Secretary to the Supreme Court shall be considered a public body and, except as otherwise expressly provided by law, shall have the same obligations to disclose public records as other custodians of public records. The bill clarifies that the public records provisions of the Freedom of Information Act do not apply to judicial officers or information created or maintained on behalf of judicial officers, but do apply to any administrative records of judicial officers that are maintained by the Office of Executive Secretary and unrelated to a record created, collected, received, or maintained in connection with a particular case. The bill also adds to the duties of the Executive Secretary a role as custodian of records of administrative functions performed by persons employed by him or acting under his direction and of aggregated data regarding Virginia courts that may be obtained from systems maintained by his office. Finally, the bill directs the Supreme Court of Virginia to revise the rules of practice and procedure as necessary to comply with the provisions provided for in the bill. This bill was incorporated into HB 671.