2022 legislative position papers

Initial position papers for some 2022 bills

• SB 5 (Suetterlein): Makes Parole Board votes subject to FOIA (SUPPORT)
• HB 150 (March): Requires online posting of local public body meeting minutes (SUPPORT WITH RECOMMENDATION)
• THE PATRON ASKED FOR HER BILL TO BE STRICKEN FROM THE DOCKETHB 154 (March): Requires all public bodies to pre-redact and transfer all public records to VITA for creation of an online database of public records (OPPOSE)
• SB 152 (Locke): Defines what is meant by an "official government website" for purposes of FOIA's meeting notice provisions (SUPPORT)
• SB 200 (Hashmi): Creates a FOIA exemption for certain sewage-complaint investigation records (ASKING FOR AMENDMENTS)
• SB 214 (McPike) and HB 444 (Bennett-Parker): VCOG-based draft updating rules for electronic meetings (SUPPORT)
• SB 219 (McPike) and HB 270 (Byron): As part of Virginia Employment Commission reform, creates an Appeals Ombudsman with overly broad confidentiality (ASKING FOR AMENDMENTS)
• SB324 (Vogel) and HB 970 (O'Quinn): In trying to protect the identity of donors to 501(c) organizations, changes the definition of "public record" in FOIA to exclude ALL information about individuals (OPPOSE) 
• SB 358 (Stuart): Creates a Seafood Industry Employment Ombudsman with overly broad confidentiality (ASKING FOR AMENDMENTS)
• SB 445 (Boysko) and HB 859 (Reid): In directing Commissioner of the Highways to investigate whether certain roads should be run as public-private partnerships, requires the commission to enter into non-disclosure agreements with the chair of the county board of supervisors (OPPOSE)
• SB 478 (McClellan) and HB 137 (McQuinn): Allows the Capital Region Airport Authority to create a supporting foundation that is specifically designated as not a public body subject to FOIA (OPPOSE)
• HB 493 (Mullin): Provides a pathway to access police disciplinary records (SUPPORT)
• SB 612 (Boysko): Allows Commissioner of Highways to deny a car registration renewal based on information gathered by a third-party and made confidential (OPPOSE)
• THE PATRON ASKED FOR HER BILL TO BE STRICKEN FROM THE DOCKETHB 631 (Hudson): Creates a meetings exemption for discussions with complainants/witnesses and the subject of complaints against law enforcement officers (OPPOSE AS UNNECESSARY)
• THE BILL WAS TABLED IN HOUSE GENERAL LAWS, 1/25: HB 722 (Gooditis): Allows "advisory bodies" to use all-virtual technology to meet an unlimited number of times (OPPOSE IN FAVOR OF HB 444 and SB 214)
• HB 980 (Williams Graves): Expands by 8 the number of local zoning complaints and the amount of information about complainants that can be withheld (OPPOSE)

* Updated Jan. 25, 2022, to show recent activity