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2015 SESSION

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Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology
Subcommittee #1

Locke (Chairman), Martin, Barker, Black, Garrett

Clerk: Maryann Horch
Staff: Amigo Wade
Date of Meeting: January 28, 2015
Time and Place: 9:00 a.m., General Assembly Building, 3 West

S.B. 893

Patron: Petersen

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; working papers and correspondence exemptions for university presidents. Eliminates the working paper and correspondence record exemption for the president or other chief executive officer of any public institution of higher education in Virginia.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-3705.7 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; working papers and correspondence exemptions for university presidents.

15102044D

S.B. 965

Patron: Petersen

Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act; passive collection and use of personal information by law-enforcement agencies. Limits the ability of law-enforcement and regulatory agencies to use technology to collect and maintain personal information on individuals and organizations where a warrant has not been issued and there is no reasonable suspicion of criminal activity by the individual or organization. The bill authorizes law-enforcement agencies to collect information from license plate readers, provided such information (i) is held for no more than seven days and (ii) is not subject to any outside inquiries or internal usage, except in the investigation of a crime or missing persons report. After seven days such collected information must be purged from the system.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-3800 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 2.2-3808.3, relating to the Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act; passive collection and use of personal information by law-enforcement agencies.

15103452D

S.B. 968

Patron: Ruff

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; record exemption for certain health records. Clarifies that records of certain health care committees and entities, to the extent that they reveal information that may be withheld from discovery as privileged communications, are exempt from disclosure under FOIA.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-3705.5 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; record exemption for certain health records.

15101515D

S.B. 969

Patron: Ruff

Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); exception to open meeting requirements. Clarifies that the gathering or attendance of two or more members of a public body (i) at any place or function where no part of the purpose of such gathering or attendance is the discussion or transaction of any public business, and such gathering or attendance was not called or prearranged with any purpose of discussing or transacting any business of the public body, or (ii) at a public forum, candidate appearance, or debate, the purpose of which is to inform the electorate and not to transact public business or to hold discussions relating to the transaction of public business, even though the performance of the members individually or collectively in the conduct of public business may be a topic of discussion or debate at such public meeting, is not a meeting under FOIA. The bill contains a technical amendment.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-3701 and 2.2-3707 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; exception to open meeting requirements.

15101552D

S.B. 1109

Patron: Stuart

Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); open meeting exemptions; discussions relating to cybersecurity. Expands the open meeting exemption for the discussion of plans to protect public safety as it relates to terrorism and security of governmental facilities to include the discussion of specific cybersecurity threats or vulnerabilities, including the discussion of related records excluded from FOIA, where discussion in an open meeting would jeopardize the safety of any person or the security of any facility, building, structure, information technology system, or software program.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-3711 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; open meeting exemptions; discussions relating to cybersecurity.

15101863D

S.B. 1126

Patron: Hanger

Resource management plans; consideration of certain records in closed meetings. Adds to the list of purposes for which public bodies may hold closed meetings the purpose of discussing certain records that contain information collected pursuant to the creation of a resource management plan. The bill permits only specified review committees or boards to close their meetings, or portions of their meetings, when discussing the records. The bill does not remove the general bar against closed meetings when the records have been transformed into an aggregate form or when the person who is the subject of the regulations has consented to their release.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-3711 and 10.1-104.7 of the Code of Virginia, relating to resource management plans; closed meetings.

15100909D

S.B. 1129

Patron: Stuart

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; record exemption for public safety; cybersecurity. Expands the current record exemption for plans and information to prevent or respond to terrorism to include information not lawfully available to the public regarding specific cybersecurity vulnerabilities or security plans and measures of an entity, facility, network, software program, or system. The bill contains technical amendments.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-3705.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; record exemption for public safety; cybersecurity.

15101862D

S.B. 1402

Patron: Cosgrove

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; open meeting exemption for gang-related activities. Authorizes a public body to convene a closed meeting for consultation with or briefings by staff members, legal counsel, or law-enforcement or emergency service officials concerning criminal street gang-related activities.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-3711 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; open meeting exemption for gang-related activities.

15103994D