Yesterday, the House General Laws did not support passage of the bill that would have opened Virginia’s FOIA to out-of-state records requesters. Instead, the committee voted to send the bill to the FOIA Council for further study. The FOIA Council has already studied the issue and came up with no recommendation. The idea is strongly opposed by local government.
Also yesterday, the House Commerce & Labor finally heard two bills that would put the State Corporation Commission under FOIA — the agency is the only state agency to be totally outside the scope of the public records law.
The patron of one bill agreed to table it. The patron of another bill gave an explanation of why he thought the change was needed, but before anyone on the committee could ask any questions (if they had them), a member made the motion to table the bill. The chair quickly pointed out that a motion to table “is non-debatable,” so no public comment could be heard. The committee passed the motion to table.
There are still two bills pending that attempt to open some of the SCC’s records up to the public, but solely on the SCC’s terms.
A federal judge has issued an order restricting dissemination of documents the prosecution and defense obtain in the federal corruption case against former Gov. Bob McDonnell and former first lady Maureen McDonnell. Both sides had agreed to the terms of the order. Protective orders are common in civil matters, but are seldom seen in criminal cases, said Charles “Chuck” James, a former federal prosecutor and chief deputy Virginia attorney general who is now a partner at the Williams Mullen law firm. “This comes on the heels of the court’s admonitions about pretrial publicity and contact with potential witnesses,” James said. “The court and parties are keenly aware of the attention this case will continue to garner and the need to establish clear guidelines for the benefit of the legal process.”
Times-Dispatch
A bill inspired by a Leesburg Town Council controversy last year will be presented to the full House of Delegates during today’s session. Del. Randy Minchew (R-10) introduced an amendment to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act to require the state's relatively new law that permits members of public bodies to participate in meetings from remote locations is uniformly applied. The bill, HB193, cleared the House Committee on General Laws with a unanimous vote Tuesday. Minchew noted in an email that strong support by the Loudoun Board of Supervisors contributed to the success of the bill during committee review.
Leesburg Today
Legislators in both chambers of the General Assembly are almost ready to roll out the fine print on new ethics rules they'll endorse in the wake of a gift scandal that led to the federal indictment of former Gov. Bob McDonnell. A Senate debate may come Friday, Senate Republican Leader Tommy Norment said Thursday. There are still are some 28 proposed amendments to sort through, and that has delayed debate this week, he said. "At some point I've just got to pull the trigger," said Norment, R-James City. The House version should be ready for a committee vote Friday, and could be ready for a final House vote Tuesday, according to Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Woodstock, who has shepherded the reform process in the House.
Daily Press
Bristol school leaders will include some additional data into their efforts to redraw elementary district lines after one parent’s question was asked during Thursday’s School Board meeting. Eric Jenkins, whose two children attend Stonewall Jackson Elementary, listened to a lengthy presentation about options and desired outcomes from Superintendent Mark Lineburg and members of the board — before asking a simple question.
Herald Courier
Shenandoah County leaders on Thursday stifled an effort to end its membership with state and national groups that lobby for local governments. The Board of Supervisors voted at a work session to not forward a resolution seeking to resign from the Virginia Association of Counties and the National Association of Counties.
Northern Virginia Daily
Virginia’s top constitutional authority reiterated Thursday what state and federal officials have said before — that, when it comes to food stamp data, federal law prohibits public access. Virginia’s Department of Social Services officially responded to Watchdog.org’s Freedom of Information Act request filed earlier in the week, saying they’d referred the matter to Attorney General Mark Herring’s office. Watchdog.org sought the date and time, location and amount of transactions made from July 1, 2013, through Sept. 1, 2013, in Richmond with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
Watchdog.org Virginia Bureau
The Portsmouth employee who manages the city's Facebook page frequently posts motivational sayings not usually found on a government social media site.
Virginian-Pilot
Slide presentations largely aim to provide audiences with visual aids to help in understanding complex ideas. But sometimes, the images can just add to the complexity. At a meeting scheduled for Monday, the Fairfax County School Board plans to discuss Superintendent Karen Garza’s top initiative for this year: A new strategic plan for the school system. Garza has said that a concrete strategy will help her administration work more efficiently and make decisions with a specific goal in mind. The school board presentation Monday on the strategic plan includes one slide that is, well, a bit confusing.
Washington Post