SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2005 SESSION

  • print version
Senate Committee on General Laws
Subcommittee Subcommittee #1

Houck, Bolling, O'Brien

Clerk: Martha P. Turner
Staff: Amigo Wade
Date of Meeting: January 31, 2005
Time and Place: 10:30 a.m.; 3 East; GAB

S.B. 711 Freedom of Information Act; changes for electronic communication meetings.

Patron: Houck

Freedom of Information Act; electronic communication meetings.  Reduces the notice required for electronic communication meetings from 30 days to seven working days. The bill also (i) eliminates the 25 percent limitation on the number of electronic meetings held annually, (ii) eliminates the requirement that an audio or audio/visual recording be made of the electronic communication meeting, but retains the requirement that minutes be taken pursuant to § 2.2-3707, (iii) allows for the conduct of closed meetings during electronic meetings, and (iv) changes the annual reporting requirement from the Virginia Information Technology Agency to the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council and the Joint Commission on Technology and Science and expands the type of information required to be reported. The bill defines "electronic communication means."   The bill is a recommendation of the Freedom of Information Advisory Council.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-3707 and 2.2-3708 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; electronic meetings; notice; minutes.

053605740

S.B. 879 Freedom of Information Act; exempts proprietary records of cable television, etc.

Patron: Wampler

Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); exemptions for proprietary records of cable television and telecommunication services provided by localities. Exempts from the mandatory disclosure requirements of FOIA, confidential proprietary records and trade secrets developed and held by a local public body (i) providing telecommunication services pursuant to § 56-265.4:4 and (ii) providing cable television services pursuant to Article 1.1 (§ 15.2-2108.2 et seq.) of Chapter 2 of Title 15.2, to the extent that disclosure of such records would be harmful to the competitive position of the locality. The bill provides that in order for confidential proprietary information or trade secrets to be excluded from FOIA, the locality in writing shall (i) invoke the protections of FOIA, (ii) identify with specificity the records or portions thereof for which protection is sought, and (iii) state the reasons why protection is necessary. The bill also grants an open meeting exemption for discussions of such records by a public body. The bill contains technical amendments.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-3705.6 and 2.2-3711 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section number 15.2-2108.18, relating to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; exemptions for proprietary records of cable television and telecommunication services provided by localities.

056254836

S.B. 1030 Freedom of Information Act; exempts certain information, etc. collected by OCME.

Patron: Lambert

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; confidentiality of certain information and records collected and maintained by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.  Provides that confidential records and information obtained from private and public entities and provided to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) during the course of a death investigation and records collected and maintained during the course of investigations, surveillance programs or research or studies of deaths having a public health importance by the OCME are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. The bill also provides that the records of the OCME may not be subject to subpoena or discovery in criminal or civil proceedings.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-3705.5 of the Code of Virginia, and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 32.1-283.4, relating to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; confidentiality of certain information and records collected and maintained by the Office of  the Chief Medical Examiner.

052720116

S.B. 1196 Freedom of Information Act; change in regulations for electronic communication meetings.

Patron: Newman

Freedom of Information Act; electronic communication meetings.  Reduces the notice required for electronic communication meetings from 30 days to seven working days. The bill also (i) eliminates the 25 percent limitation on the number of electronic meetings held annually; (ii) eliminates the requirement that an audio or audio/visual recording be made of the electronic communication meeting, but retains the requirement that minutes be taken pursuant to § 2.2-3707; (iii) allows for the conduct of closed meetings during electronic meetings; (iv) changes the annual reporting requirement from the Virginia Information Technology Agency to the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council and the Joint Commission on Technology and Science; and (v) expands the type of information required to be reported. The bill specifies that regular, special, or reconvened sessions of the General Assembly held pursuant Article IV, Section 6 of the Constitution of Virginia are not meetings for purposes of the electronic communication meeting provisions. The also bill defines "electronic communication means." The bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Technology and Science.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-3707 and 2.2-3708 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; electronic meetings; notice; minutes.

055004162