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1999 SESSION

994578860
SENATE BILL NO. 806
Offered January 13, 1999
A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.1-343 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; notice of public meetings.
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Patrons-- Schrock, Howell and Ticer; Delegates: Brink, Byron, Davis, DeBoer, Diamonstein, Jones, S.C., Landes, May, Nixon, Plum, Purkey, Rhodes, Shuler and Watts
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Referred to Committee on General Laws
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 2.1-343 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 2.1-343. Meetings to be public; notice of meetings; recordings; minutes; voting.

Except as otherwise specifically provided by law and except as provided in §§ 2.1-344 and 2.1-345, all meetings of public bodies shall be public meetings, including meetings and work sessions during which no votes are cast or any decisions made. Notice Except in an emergency, notice, including the time, date and place of each meeting, shall be furnished to any citizen of the Commonwealth who requests such information provided no less than seven days before the meeting in a manner reasonably calculated under the circumstances to apprise the public of the meeting information. Notices for meetings of public bodies of the Commonwealth on which there is at least one member appointed by the Governor shall state whether or not public comment will be received at the meeting, and, if so, the approximate points during the meeting public comment will be received. Requests to be notified on a continual basis shall be made at least once a year in writing and include the name, complete U.S. mail address, zip code, telephone number, electronic mail address (if available), and organization of the requester. Public bodies may provide electronic meeting notices in response to such requests. Notice, reasonable under the circumstance, of special or emergency meetings shall be given contemporaneously with the notice provided members of the public body conducting the meeting and shall be provided in a manner reasonably calculated under the circumstances to apprise the public of the meeting information.

Unless otherwise exempt, at least one copy of all agenda packets and materials furnished to members of a public body for a meeting shall be made available for inspection by the public at the same time such documents are furnished to the members of the public body.

Any person may photograph, film, record or otherwise reproduce any portion of a meeting required to be open. The public body conducting the meeting may adopt rules governing the placement and use of equipment necessary for broadcasting, photographing, filming or recording a meeting to prevent interference with the proceedings.

Voting by secret or written ballot in an open meeting shall be a violation of this chapter.

Minutes shall be recorded at all public meetings. However, minutes shall not be required to be taken at deliberations of (i) standing and other committees of the General Assembly, (ii) legislative interim study commissions and committees, including the Virginia Code Commission, (iii) study committees or commissions appointed by the Governor, or (iv) study commissions or study committees, or any other committees or subcommittees appointed by the governing bodies or school boards of counties, cities and towns, except where the membership of any such commission, committee or subcommittee includes a majority of the governing body of the county, city or town or school board.