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2020 SESSION


CHAPTER 421
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-608 and 30-34.4:1 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 2.2-608.1, relating to administration of government; general provisions; state publications to be made available in electronic format.
[H 719]
Approved March 23, 2020

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 2.2-608 and 30-34.4:1 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 2.2-608.1 as follows:

§ 2.2-608. Furnishing reports; Governor authorized to require reports.

A. Agencies, institutions, collegial bodies, and other governmental entities that are specifically required by the Code of Virginia to report annually or biennially to the Governor and General Assembly shall post such annual or biennial reports on the respective entity's website on or before October 1 of each year, unless otherwise specified. No hard copies of annual and biennial reports shall be printed except in instances where copies are requested by a member of the General Assembly in accordance with the provisions of § 30-34.4:1. The Governor may require any agency to furnish an annual or biennial report in a written or electronic format.

B. Each state entity required to submit a report to multiple legislative branch entities pursuant to subsection C may develop a single consolidated report in a written or electronic format containing the required information. Such report shall be (i) formatted to comply with any specific reporting requirement, and (ii) provided in a manner designed to clearly delineate each legislative branch entity for which specific information is provided.

C. Any agency, institution, collegial body, or other governmental entity outside of the legislative branch of government required to submit a report to the General Assembly or any committee, subcommittee, commission, agency, or other body within the legislative branch or to the chairman or agency head of such entity shall distribute a hard copy of such report to each member of the General Assembly who requests a copy in accordance with the provisions of § 30-34.4:1. A consolidated report developed pursuant to subsection B shall satisfy any reporting requirement under this subsection. The cost of printing and distributing reports shall be borne by the reporting entity or its supporting agency.

D. Any agency, institution, collegial body, or other governmental entity outside of the legislative branch of government required to submit a report to (i) the General Assembly or any committee, subcommittee, commission, agency, or other body within the legislative branch or (ii) the chairman or agency head of any such entity shall make such reports available as read-only and text-searchable Portable Document Format (.pdf) files or some other widely used and accessible read-only and text-searchable electronic document format. All requests for such reports shall be made electronically unless expressly requested otherwise.

§ 2.2-608.1. State publications to be made available electronically.

A. Publications, as defined in § 42.1-93, of any agency, institution, collegial body, or other governmental entity shall be available as read-only and text-searchable Portable Document Format (.pdf) files or some other widely used and accessible read-only and text-searchable electronic document format. All requests for such publications shall be made electronically unless expressly requested otherwise.

§ 30-34.4:1. Request and distribution of state publications.

A. The Commission, through the Division of Legislative Automated Systems, shall distribute to each member of the General Assembly a request form containing a checklist for selection of the Acts of Assembly, the Journals of the Senate and House of Delegates, and reports submitted to the General Assembly or any committee, subcommittee, commission, agency, or other body within the legislative branch. Any person who returns a completed form or written request shall be deemed to have requested the publications so indicated on the form or request All requested materials shall be delivered electronically as read-only and text-searchable Portable Document Format (.pdf) files or as another widely used and accessible read-only and text-searchable electronic document format unless expressly requested otherwise.

B. The Division of Legislative Automated Systems shall notify each individual entitled to receive state publications listed in subsection A of the availability of the publications and that each will be forwarded to them by the appropriate entity upon written request. The Division shall forward requested reports of legislative entities and shall notify each agency, institution, collegial body, or other governmental entity outside of the legislative branch of the names of the members of the General Assembly requesting such entity's report.