Bill > HB313

This bill amends the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to expand the definition of who is entitled to access public records. Previously, only citizens of the Commonwealth, along with representatives of newspapers, magazines, and radio and television stations, could inspect public records. This bill adds "non-citizens owning property within the Commonwealth" to this list, meaning individuals who do not hold U.S. citizenship but own land in Virginia will now have the same rights to access public records as citizens under FOIA. The rest of the bill outlines the procedures for requesting and responding to public records requests, including timelines, charges for copies, and how to handle requests for electronic data, none of which are changed by this amendment.

Government Affairs, Justice

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB313