2002 Legislative Roundup

Virginia Press Association positions

Reauthorization of the FOIA office won unanimous approval of the House and Senate, and has been signed into law by Gov. Warner. (SB208, HB173)

At least six (cq) new FOIA exemptions gained final approval; at least nine (cq) others were broadened to permit added confidentiality. Three involve records or meetings dealing with specific anti-terrorist plans. A Code amendment also was approved to encourage public disclosure of anthrax-type dangers. Assuming the governor signs all of the legislation, Virginia’s FOIA will have at least 110 exceptions to its open-government law: 81 in the records section, 29 in the meetings section.

Approved in the final week:
• full disclosure of purchasers of political advertising (HB558).
• a confidential database to track purchasers of OxyContin and similar drugs. (SB425)
• broadband-access services by local governments (SB245)
• a rule to block aggregating of public data by/for the Worker’s Compensation Board (SB669)
• a far-reaching effort to privatize school construction and other projects with less public disclosure, less competitive bidding; more flexibility to get projects off the ground. (SB681)

Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine’s proposal for televised General Assembly floor sessions was killed by House Rules, 10-7. Speaker Wilkins led the opposition. But in the State Senate, Sen. Bo Trumbo led efforts to write rules that will get Senate sessions televised and/or Web-cast within the next year or so. (SR13)

Attorney General Kilgore’s proposals for quick online posting of draft and official minutes gained unanimous approval in House and Senate; conferee action is posted (HB587, SB416)

Also approved:
• Several measures to try to stop disclosure of Social Security numbers. (SB153, HB564, HB1209, HB652)
• Clear-cut language aimed at the Virginia Supreme Court to clarify that commonwealth’s attorneys and all other constitutional offices are subject to FOIA rules. (HB729)
• A FOIA amendment requiring immediate and full disclosure of nonexempt sections of a consultant’s report prior to any official action or whenever it’s been disclosed or distributed, whichever occurs first. (HB235)
• Two more years to experiment with relaxed FOIA rules for teleconferencing by U.Va. Board of Visitors and videoconferencing by other designated state entities.(SB38)
• Opt-out confidentiality of citizens’ e-mail addresses, but only when linked to requested e-mail notifications from a public entity. (SB308)
• Del. Devolites’ one-year study to establish guidelines for access to online court information (HJ89)

Legislation backed by clerks of courts kept the Technology Trust Fund in existence at least two more years to help modernize clerks’ handling of land-use records. A related measure, HB675, got amended to require that up-to-date technology plans be in place before funds can be diverted to handle court records electronically. One problem: the 2003-04 budget diverts $5 million to help cut the General Fund deficit (HB857, SB83)

A bill to end the confusion about public access to complaints against doctors won unanimous backing from the legislature. Unfounded complaints will be confidential, but the Board of Medicine’ rules dictate that its Internet site will signal whenever a disciplinary action is to begin (or has occurred) (SB59)

Del. Bob Purkey’s scary HB 900 was sent to the FOI Advisory Council for a year of study. This was the bill that would allow the government to haul record requesters into court on a slippery charge of “harrassment” and then slap them with government attorney costs. The measure grew out of a mishandled, long-running dispute between an animal-rights group and backers of a proposed Virginia Beach dolphin tank.

Del. Devolites pulled HB 529 (personal information exemption) and HB532 from the docket. The press association showed her a letter from washingtonpost.com saying it has a policy of redacting police info from the Internet if someone requests it. Del. Almand’s comparable bill was carried over one year, at his request.

Uniform health standards to trigger online posting of restaurant inspections got carried over a year (HB425)

HB 914, the Tobacco Settlement Foundation exemption for underage smoking research data, was killed by General Laws.

The Senate blocked an ill-considered attempt by the House to write an unusual FOIA exemption just for the legislature (involving written requests by lawyer-legislators for court continuances during General Assembly sessions).

Del. Welch’s bill (HB92) to force General Assembly candidates to file campaign finance reports electronically was killed by the House Privileges and Elections Committee. Opponents (including Del. Chip Woodrum, D-Roanoke,) complained that filing software was unreliable, hard to use, or both. Del. Jim Dillard, R-Fairfax, said the continued use of paper reports would “self-correct” as software improved “and dinosaurs pass.”


HB9
Sponsor: Del. Phil Hamilton, R-Newport News
Purpose: Changes name in FOIA exemption 73 of “Virginia Department for Rights of Virginians with Disabilities” to proposed “Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy.”
Status: Approved

HB19
Sponsor: Del. Bob Tata, R-Va. Beach
Purpose: Eastern Virginia Medical School wants name change and extensive FOIA exemptions. Bill amended to match those already granted to health-related institutions at UVa and MCV.
Status: Approved by House, 90-9; by Senate, 40-0

HB28
Sponsor: Del. Vince Callahan
Purpose: Prohibits Department of Human Resource Management “from enforcing any policy that has the effect of denying an expectation of privacy in electronic communications to students, faculty and professional staff of those public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth that have previously adopted acceptable use of computing policies approved by the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia (SCHEV). § 2. That SCHEV shall have the duty, responsibility, and authority to review acceptable use of computing policies submitted to it pursuant to this act and notify the institution whether such policy is approved.”
Status: Referred by Committee on Technology and Science to Joint Commission on Technology and Science for year-long study.

HB92
Sponsor: Del. John Welch, R-Va. Beach
Purpose: Mandates electronic filing of campaign-finance disclosure reports by members of the General Assembly
Status: Killed by Committee on Privileges and Elections, 13-9

HB107
Sponsor: Del. Marshall
Requires judges to post “national motto, In God We Trust” (Similar bills call for such postings in schools and other government buildings)
Status: Approved by legislature; fate uncertain because of a lack of funding

HB112
Sponsor: Del. Bob Marshall
Purpose: Require tighter conflict of interest rules for local government
Status: Approved unanimously by House, as amended in committee; killed in Senate General Laws at 11th hour request of Prince William prosecutor.

HB173
Sponsor: Del. Chip Woodrum, D-Roanoke; McQuigg co-sponsor
Purpose: Reauthorizes FOI Council as a permanent agency (the 2002-04 Gilmore budget proposals include $295,682 and 1 1/2 staff positions for continued operation of the Council, compared with the $329,000 provided for start-up in 2000-02).
Status: Approved unanimously; signed by governor
FOIA Council’s 2001 report (PDF)

HB235
Sponsor: Del. Tom Gear, R-Hampton
Purpose: Provides that reports of consultants hired by or on behalf of a local public body and in the possession of the mayor or chief executive officer of such public body must be disclosed when disseminated, described or subject to a vote. It got overhauled in a Senate subcommittee, establishing rules for disclosure – while leaving the working papers section silent on the question of whether these reports can ever be withheld by executive privilege.
Status: Often amended, overwhelmingly approved

HB263
Sponsor: Del. McQuigg, R-Prince William
Purpose: Requires electronic filing of political contributions by PACS and political-party committees
Status: Approved unanimously by Privileges and Elections Committee; passed by House, 90-6; killed by Senate Privileges and Elections

HB309
Sponsor: Del. Howell
Purpose: Requires competitive bidding when attorney general hires outside counsel costing more than $100,000
Status: Approved by legislature

HB312
Sponsor: Del. Howell
Purpose: Creates new FOIA law-enforcement records exemption: “All records of adult persons under investigation or supervision by a local pretrial services agency . . . (or) investigation, probation supervision or monitoring by a local community-based probation program . . . or investigation or supervision by state probation and parole services”
Status: Withdrawn

HB331
Sponsor: Del. Darner
Purpose: Permits any member of the General Assembly to obtain information on the race, gender and national origin of the governor’s appointees; continues existing Code language that “personally identifiable information collected under this section shall be confidential and shall be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act”
Status: Killed by General Laws

HB395
Sponsor: Del. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Prince William
Purpose: Creates new FOIA exemption for investigators’ notes, correspondence, other information complainants’ names/addresses furnished in confidence with respect to an investigation of individual zoning enforcement complaints made to a local governing body. Creates new FOIA record exemption.
Status: Amended, approved

HB425
Sponsor: Del. McQuigg
Purpose:Coordinates Dept.of Health and Dept. of Agriculture guidelines for inspection of public restaurants and take-out food stores. (Health-department restaurant inspections are expected to go online later this year.)
Status: Approved by House, 86-14; sidetracked a year by the Senate

HB450
Sponsor: Del. Dillard, R-Fairfax
Purpose: Creates the Virginia Administrative Dispute Resolution Act, which authorizes public bodies to use dispute resolution proceedings. State agencies are required to adopt policies to address the use of dispute resolution proceedings within the agency and for the agency’s programs and operations. Each state agency must designate a dispute resolution coordinator. The bill establishes the Interagency Dispute Resolution Advisory Council as an advisory council to the Secretary of Administration. Amends FOIA to protect confidentiality of communications and materials required to be kept confidential in mediation proceedings
Status: Amended to keep settlements, expenses a public record; approved by House; approved by Senate General Laws. Creates new FOIA record exemption.

HB454
Sponsor: Del. Griffin, R-Salem
Purpose: Establish rules for use of facial-recognition technology
Status: Passed House, 74-25; killed in Senate

HB483
Sponsor: Del. Terry Suit, R-Virginia Beach
Purpose: Requires school boards and local governing bodies to allow public comment at public meetings
Status: killed in C ommittee of Counties, Cities and Towns (only 2 votes in support)

HB514
Sponsor: Del. Marrs
Purpose: Any public-owned system that accesses the Internet would be considered “a non-public forum. Opposed by Va. Library Assn.
Status: Killed by House Committee on Technology and Science

HB529
Sponsor: Del. Devolites, R-Vienna
Purpose: Adds a FOIA records exemption for those portions of records containing identifying information of a personal, medical or financial nature provided to a public body where the release of such information would jeopardize the safety of any person.
Status: Withdrawn

HB532
Sponsor: Del. Devolites
Purpose: If requested by a law-enforcement officer, “publisher shall redact all personal information as defined in § 2.2-3801 (including name, address, telephone number, electronic mail address and social security number) about him contained in records and papers of the circuit courts that are made public pursuant to § 17.1-208 and published and disseminated by means of . . . the Internet. A violator would be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.
Status: Withdrawn

HB545
Sponsor: Del. Kilgore
Purpose: New FOIA exemption for “all data, records, and reports relating to the prescribing and dispensing of (controlled) substances . . . and any abstracts from such data, records, and reports that are in the possession of the (proposed) Prescription Monitoring Program.”
Status: see Wampler SB425

HB555
Sponsor: Del. S. C. Jones
Purpose: Mandates e-filing of campaign finance disclosure reports by political committees (over $25,000) and legislators (more than $10,000)
Status: Killed, 15-7, Privileges and Elections

HB558
Sponsor: Del. S. C. Jones
Purpose: Imposes new disclosure requirements for political advertising; amended and combined with HB1041
Status: Approved

HB564
Sponsor: Del. Byron, R-Lynchburg
Purpose: Forces DMV to drop use of SS# for drivers’ licenses — unless somebody specifically wants to use a SS#
Status: Approved by legislature

HB602
Sponsor: Del. Black, Loudoun
Purpose: Requires that libraries install Internet filters on computers accessible to children to block Internet access to child pornography as set out in § 18.2-374.1C1, obscenity as defined in § 18.2-372 and materials deemed harmful to juveniles as defined in § 18.2-390.
Status: Killed by Commitee on Technology and Science

HB652
Sponsor: Del. Allen Dudley, R-Rocky Mount
Purpose: Amends Consumer Protection Act to prohibit vendors from using S.S. numbers as account numbers when buyer opts out in writing.
Status: Approved by House and Senate

HB664
Sponsor: Del. Cox
Purpose: Keeps State Police investigations of anthrax-type attacks confidential; encourages disclosure when in the public interest
Status: Approved.

HB675
Sponsor: Del. Reese
Purpose: Allows use of clerks’ Technology Fund for handling of court records once an approved technology plan is in place (heretofore, funds have been earmarked solely for modernizing land-records; also extends fund for three years); technology plans for land-use records must be kept up to date.
Status: Approved

HB700
Sponsor: Del. Chris Jones
Purpose: Expands FOIA exemptions related to terrorism (this is the compromise language that was worked out in a subcommittee of the FOI Advisory Council.); combined with Woodrum’s HB728
Status: Approved by House and Senate

HB728
Sponsor: Del. Woodrum
Purpose: Expands FOIA exemptions related to terrorism (this is the compromise language that was worked out in a subcommittee of the FOI Advisory Council.); combined with Chris Jones’ HB700

HB729
Sponsor: Del. Woodrum
Purpose: Reverses Va. Supreme Court ruling, explicitly brings prosecutors and other constitutional officers under FOIA
Status: Approved

HB731
Sponsor: Del. Woodrum
Purpose: Lets you keep your e-mail address confidential if you sign up for electronic newsletters from a public
body. Introduces the opt-out concept. Creates new FOIA record exemption.
Status: Approved

HB733
Sponsor: Del. Sears
Purpose: Tried to create a FOIA open-record exemption, allowing lawyers’ requests for court continuances during legislative sessions to be kept confidential.
Conferees’ report. approved on final day, killed the proposed exemption

HB753
Sponsor: Del. Amundson
Purpose: Requires State Board of Elections to post all campaign finance reports on the Internet with 24 hours of filing deadline (sponsors include at least one foe of mandatory e-filings by House members!)
Status: Carried over to 2203, House Privileges and Elections Committee

HB812
Sponsor: Del. Almand
Purpose: Identical to HB532
Status: Carried over one year by Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee, at sponsor’s request

HB884
Sponsor: Del. Hamilton, R-Newport News
Purpose: Directs the Board of Education to include, in its annual fall report on public education needs and schools failing to meet the Standards of Quality (SOQ), a complete listing of the current SOQ, justification for each standard, how long each such standard has been in its current form, and whether the Board recommends any changes to the SOQ.
Status: Passed

HB900
Sponsor: Del. Purkey, R-Va. Beach
Purpose: Overturns 33 years of open-government rules in Virginia: Permits government to get a court order to stop “harrassment” by citizens trying to obtain government information; if request for records is “unreasonable,” citizen can be forced to pay government’s legal bills. (Note: FOIA already prohibits “fishing expeditions” for non-specific records, permits government to seek extended compliance time if record requests are complex, andallows government to charge for copying and search time). We strongly oppose this measure.
Status: Sent to FOIA Council for year-long study

HB973
Sponsor: Del. Pollard
Purpose: Mandates disclosure of any record involving use of legislators’ office allowances
Status: Killed by Rules Committee

HB1021
Del. Danny Marshall, R-Danville
Purpose: Allows localities to offer telecommunications services
Status: House approved, 96-3; see SB245

HB1041
Sponsor: Del. Scott, D-Fairfax
Purpose: Requires that ads naming a candidate clearly identify the sponsor of the ad
Status: Combined with HB558, approved

HB1099
Sponsor: Del. Scott
Purpose: Prohibits disclosure of Va. election results until presidential voting ends on the West Coast
Status: Passed House, 88-12; sidetracked in Senate committee for one year (at least)

HB1203
Sponsor: Del. Parrish
Purpose: Extends U.Va’s audio/video meeting rules for another 2 years
Status: Approved by House

HB1209
Sponsor: Del. Kirk Cox
Purpose: Ends public access of military discharge papers filed with clerks of circuit courts; amended to allow access for bona fide research purposes if the subject of the record is deceased. .
Status: Approved

HB1221
Sponsor: Del. Albo
Purpose: Amends rules for monitoring tobacco importers; recommended version does not remove a FOIA confidentiality provision.
Status: Approved

HB1250
Sponsor: Watts, D-Annandale
Purpose: Freedom of Information Act; exemptions related to the Public-PrivateTransportation Act of 1995. Expands the existing records exemption for confidential proprietary records submitted in confidence to an affected local jurisdiction, as that term is defined in the Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995. Currently, this exemption applies only to records submitted to a responsible public entity under the Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995. Amends a record exemption; adds a meeting exemption.
Status: Approved by House, 94-4

SB12
Sponsor: Sen. Mims, R-Loudoun
Purpose: Code housekeeping measure; one section continues language allowing House and Senate to adopt rules for committee votes (House allows same-day voting for committee members who miss a meeting; Senate allows proxy voting if a member assigns the proxy before leaving a meeting)
Status: Approved

SB28
Sponsor: Sen. Trumbo, R-Botetourt
Purpose: Protects confidentiality of proposed legislation and drafts of revisions; provides access for legislative staffs
Status: Approved

SB35
Sponsor: Sen. Stolle, R-Va. Beach
Purpose: Eastern Virginia Medical School added to FOIA exemptions. Bill amended to conform with existing UVa language.
Status: Approved

SB38
Sponsor: Sen. Newman, R-Lynchburg
Purpose: Extends for another two years a special FOIA pilot project for electronic communication meetings for a limited number of public bodies in state government. Special rules, dating from 1999, relax some of FOIA’s tough restrictions for electronic meetings. Though seldom used, these rules require no more than seven days prior notice and permit any member to participate anywhere, as long as public access is offered, the equipment works and a quorum is available within the state. Usage is to be closely tracked to determine whether the experiment is working. Companion study by JCOTS in 2002 also envisioned. Electronic meetings by local government remain prohibited.
Status: Approved

SB59
Sponsor: Sen. Watkins
Purpose: Clarifies rules for posting disciplinary actions against Virginia doctors (regulations will require online notice of pending actions; initial complaints will not be online.
Status: Approved

SB83
Sponsor: Sen. Wampler, R-Bristol
Purpose: Extends for another two years a $3 “Technology Fund” filing fee for clerks of courts
Status: Approved by Senate, 39-0; by House, 93-6

SB87
Sponsor: Sen. Marsh, D-Richmond
Purpose: Bans use of cell phones when vehicles are moving, except in emergencies
Status: Carried over to 2003 by Transportation Committee

SB111
Sponsor: Sen. Yvonne Miller
Purpose: To find a constitutional way to outlaw cross-burnings
Status: Amended, approved

SB134
Sponsor: Sen. Stolle
Purpose: Expands FOIA exemptions related to terrorism (this is the compromise language that was worked out in a subcommittee of the FOI Advisory Council.)
Status: Approved unanimously by House and Senate

lSB144
Sponsor: Sen. Ticer
Purpose: New campaign-disclosure rules
Status: withdrawn

SB153
Sponsor: Sen. Norment
Purpose: Clarifies that Social Security number is to be kept confidential on marriage registers (access to the SS number on marriage
applications ended a year ago)
Status: Approved

SB206
Sponsor: Sen. Houck, D-Spotsylvania
Purpose: Amends open-records exemption #47, providing confidentiality for certain investment information held by the Virginia Retirement System and other retirement systems
Status: Approved

SB208
Sponsor: Sen. Houck, D-Spotsylvania
Purpose: Identical to House bill, reauthorizing FOI Advisory Council
Status: Approved unanimously by House and Senate; see HB 173

SB245
Sponsor: Sen. Wampler, R-Bristol
Purpose: Repeals rule that prohibits localities from establishing their own broadband communication systems
Status: Approved

SB264
Sponsor: Sen. Lambert, D-Richmond
Purpose: Declares the coordination of prevention and control of disease, injury, or disability and delivery of health care benefits to be (i) necessary public health activities; (ii) necessary health oversight activities for the integrity of the health care system; and (iii) necessary to prevent serious harm and serious threats to the health and safety of individuals and the public. The Departments of Health, Medical Assistance Services, Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, and Social Services must establish a secure system for sharing protected health information that may be necessary for the coordination of prevention and control of disease, injury, or disability and the delivery of health care benefits
Status: Passed

SB308
Sponsor: Sen. Edwards, D-Roanoke
Purpose: Provides an opt-out process for citizens to keep e-mail addresses confidential when subscribing to electronic mail from a public body (endorsed by the FOI Advisory Council
Status:Approved

SB329
Sponsor: Sen. Wagner, R-Va. Beach
Purpose: Campaign finance disclosure rules would be extended to all towns with populations exceeding 10,000 (currently, the threshold is 25,000; other changes
)Status: Approved by Senate, 36-2-2; killed by House

SB350
Sponsor: Sen. Howell, D-Reston
Purpose: Directs the Board of Education to include, in its annual fall report on public education needs and schools failing to meet the Standards of Quality (SOQ), a complete listing of the current SOQ, justification for each standard, how long each such standard has been in its current form, and whether the Board recommends any changes to the SOQ. Also see identical HB884. Legislation sought by Lt. Gov. Kaine.
Status: Approved

SB398
Sponsor: Sen. Martin
Purpose: Creates closed-meeting exemption for “meetings of health regulatory boards or conference committees of such boards to consider settlement proposals in pending disciplinary actions or modifications to previously issued board orders as requested by either of the parties.” Creates new FOIA meeting exemption.
Status: Approved

SB415
Sponsor: Sen. Rerras, R-Norfolk
Purpose: Requires written requests when General Assembly lawyers seek court continuances during legislative sessions. No FOIA exemption
Conferees’ report approved on final day; Senate position upheld.

SB416
Sponsor: Sen. Rerras, R-Norfolk
Purpose: Requires boards, commissions, councils, and other public bodies created in the executive branch of state government to post draft minutes of their meetings on the Internet within 10 working days of the conclusion of the meeting; official minutes must be posted within 3 days (proposed by Attorney General Kilgore)
Status: Approved

SB423
Sponsor: Sen. Byrne
Purpose: Restricts telephone solicitations
Status: Carried over to 2003

SB425
Sponsor: Sen. Wampler
Purpose: New FOIA exemption for “all data, records, and reports relating to the prescribing and dispensing of (controlled) substances . . . and any abstracts from such data, records, and reports that are in the possession of the (proposed) Prescription Monitoring Program.”
Status: Amended to apply only to Southwest Virginia; approved

SB486
Sponsor: Sen. Newman, R-Lynchburg
Purpose: Authorizes localities to impose 1% sales taxes on home-delivered newspapers if a publisher petitions the local government to impose the tax. (That should muzzle those editorial pages that keep pushing for tax increases!)
Status: Withdrawn

SB543
Sponsor: Sen. Mims, R-Loudoun
Extends for two years the pilot project encouraging videoconferning by some state entities
Status: Approved; see SB38

SB567
Sponsor: Sen. Byrne
Purpose: Makes some types of unsolicited commercial e-mail unlawful
Status: Amended, passed Senate; carried over to 2003 by House committee

SB669
Sponsor: Sen. Williams
Purpose: Bars Workmen’s Compensation Board from aggregating public information.
Status: Passed

SB681
Sponsor: Sen. Stosch
Purpose: Permits privatization of infrastructure projects including: (i) school buildings; (ii) any building for use by any public entity; (iii) any equipment or improvements necessary to enhance public safety and security of buildings to be principally used by a public entity; (iv) utility and telecommunications and other communications infrastructure; (v) recreational facility; or (vi) any other facility, or a portion thereof, that serves a public purpose. Broadens FOIA exemption now existing only for highway partnerships.
Status: Passed

SB687
Sponsor: Sen. Stolle
Purpose: clarifies that jail-canteen profits are public funds
Status: Approved

HJ24
HJ25
HJ26
HJ27
HJ28
HJ29
Sponsor: Del. R. G.Marshall
Purpose: Six different study proposals to broaden the electronic communication infrastructure across Northern Virginia and/or across the state.
Status: Carried over one year by Rules Committee

HJ31
Sponsor: Del. R.G. Marshall, R-Manassas
Purpose: Proposes legislative study of state’s confict of interest law
Status: Approved by House and by Senate Rules Committee

HJ61
Sponsor: Del. McDonnell, R-Virginia Beach
Purpose: Proposes interim study of conflict of interest law
Status: Incorporated in HJ31

HJ72
Sponsor: Del. Hamilton, R-Newport News
Purpose: Directs the Virginia Commission on Youth to study the need for consistency in state laws governing the collection, dissemination, and disclosure of confidential juvenile records.
Status: Killed by Rules Committee

HJ89
Sponsor: Del. Devolites, R-Vienna
Purpose: Again establishes a joint subcommittee to study “protection of information contained in the records, documents and cases filed in the courts of the Commonwealth.”
Status: Approved

HJ100
Sponsor: Del. Devolites
Purpose: Endorses e-gov efforts to create a secure PIN (personal identification number) for on-line use by each Virginia citizen
Status: Passed

HJ128
Sponsor: Del. Chapman Petersen, D-Fairfax
Purpose: Provides for television coverage of future sessions of the House of Delegates and the Senate (Tim Kaine legislation)
Status: Carried over one year by Rules Committee, 11-6

HJ155
Sponsor: Del. Pollard
Purpose: Declares April 22-28 “TV Turn-Off Week’
Status: Approved by House, 52-43; killed in Senate committee

HJ234
Commends Warren Carmichael, retiring director of public information,
Fairfax County

SJ39
Sponsor: Sen. Bolling, R-Hanover
Purpose: Encourages Secretary of Technology and Secretary of Public Safety to develop policies, procedures and standards for the analysis of the Commonwealth’s critical infrastructure and coordinate this analysis with the federal government and the private sector.
Status: Approved by Senate; advanced in House

SR13
Sponsor: Sen. Trumbo, R-Botetourt
Purpose: Provides for television/Internet coverage of future sessions of the Senate (Tim Kaine legislation)
Status: Approved by Senate

SJ82
Sponsor: Sen. Newman, R-Lynchburg
Purpose: Amended to develop guidelines for private-sector sponsorship of government websites.
Status: Approved by Senate

Here’s the House General Laws subcommittee that heard FOIA legislation:
Chris Jones (chairman), Chip Woodrum, Kirk Cox, Michele McQuigg, Danny Marshall, Tom Bolvin and Bud Phillips. If you go on the legislative Web site and click on General Laws Committee, this is subcommittee 2.

In the Senate, Houck/Bolling/Potts considered FOIA bills for the General Laws Committee.