Bill > HB463

This bill amends the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to broaden the definition of a "meeting" for public bodies, meaning that any gathering of a quorum, which is the minimum number of members required to conduct official business, of a public body's membership now constitutes a meeting, regardless of whether they are physically present or participating through electronic communication. This change clarifies that even if members are not all in the same physical location, their gathering for the purpose of discussing or transacting public business will be subject to FOIA's transparency requirements. Additionally, the bill allows members of a public body to participate in meetings remotely through electronic communication and still be counted towards a quorum, even if other members are present in person, provided their absence from the physical meeting is due to an approved reason such as a disability, family medical needs, significant distance from the meeting location, or a limited number of personal matters.

Government Affairs, Justice

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB463