Newsletter

At least 9 court cases, at all court levels, will shape and define the state’s FOIA landscape This has been a busy year for the Freedom of Information Act in Virginia’s courts. From challenges to the residency requirement in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, to the standoff in Onancock over an employment contract,…

It’s been tough, but VCOG has said farewell to five members of the board of directors in the past five months. In August, Ed Reams, who was an appointee of the Virginia Association of Broadcasters, stepped down when he took a new position at a Milwaukee TV station. Reams had been vice president for news…

At press time in mid-December, only a handful of bills that deal directly with open government had been filed. Prince William Republicans Del. Bob Marshall and Sen. Richard Black have filed matching bills that would withhold state funding for Phase II of the Dulles Metrorail Project if the project’s parent agency (the Metropolitan Washington Airports…

The FOIA Council is not recommending any legislation this year. The council created two study committees to consider legislation referred to it from the 2011 session. After multiple hearings, the council will not recommend legislation related to the bill offered by Sen. Stephen Martin (R-Chesterfield) that would have barred the release of public employee names…

GOOCHLAND: Under FOIA’s •2.2-3705.1(10), the government can withhold from release the email addresses of citizens who have signed up for government email alerts. There’s a catch, though: the exemption is only available when the citizen “has requested that the public body not disclose such information.” When the provision was drafted, it was understood that this…

Director’s Cutby Megan RhyneVCOG Executive Director  Much attention this summer was directed at the governor’s Government Reform Commission’s revelation that it held a series of closed-door workgroups to discuss policy recommendations. Last year the commission used public committees to consider recommendations, so when the commission’s staff announced in April that it would use the workgroup…

Here’s what Virginia’s FOIA says in •2.2-3707(H) about recording meetings: 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…