SB 1271

Abstract

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; meetingsheld through electronic communication means during a state of emergency.Allows a public body, or a joint meeting thereof, to meet by electroniccommunication means without a quorum of the public body physicallyassembled at one location when a locality in which the public bodyis located has declared a local state of emergency, provided that(i) the catastrophic nature of the declared emergency makes it impracticableor unsafe to assemble a quorum in a single location and (ii) thepurpose 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 meetin such manner when the Governor has declared a state of emergency,and only for the purpose of addressing the emergency. Finally, thebill requires public bodies meeting through electronic communicationmeans during a local or state declaration of a state of emergencyto (a) make arrangements for public access to such meeting throughelectronic communication means, including videoconferencing if alreadyused by the public body, and (b) provide the public with the opportunityto comment at such meetings when public comment is customarily received.