Chapter 37 of Title 2.2 The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Effective July 1, 2021) 2.2-3700. Short title; policy 2.2-3701. Definitions 2.2-3702. Notice of chapter 2.2-3703. Public bodies and records to which chapter inapplicable; voter registration and election records; access by persons incarcerated in a state, local, or federal correctional facility 2.2-3703.1. Disclosure pursuant to court order or subpoena 2.2-3704. Public records to be open to inspection; procedure for requesting records and responding to request; charges; transfer of records for storage, etc. 2.2-3704.01. Records containing both excluded and nonexcluded information; duty to redact 2.2-3704.1. Posting of notice of rights and responsibilities by state and local public bodies; assistance by the Freedom of Information Advisory Council 2.2-3704.2. Public bodies to designate FOIA officer 2.2-3704.3. Training for local officials 2.2-3705. Repealed 2.2-3705.1. Exclusions to application of chapter; exclusions of general application to public bodies 2.2-3705.2. Exclusions to application of chapter; records relating to public safety 2.2-3705.3. Exclusions to application of chapter; records relating to administrative investigations 2.2-3705.4. Exclusions to application of chapter; educational records and certain records of educational institutions 2.2-3705.5. Exclusions to application of chapter; health and social services records 2.2-3705.6. (Effective until October 1, 2021) Exclusions to application of chapter; proprietary records and trade secrets 2.2-3705.6. (Effective October 1, 2021, until January 1, 2022) Exclusions to application of chapter; proprietary records and trade secrets 2.2-3705.6. (Effective January 1, 2022) Exclusions to application of chapter; proprietary records and trade secrets 2.2-3705.7. Exclusions to application of chapter; records of specific public bodies and certain other limited exclusions 2.2-3705.8. Limitation on record exclusions 2.2-3706. Disclosure of law-enforcement and criminal records; limitations 2.2-3706.1 Disclosure of law-enforcement records; criminal incident information and certain criminal investigative files; limitations 2.2-3707. Meetings to be public; notice of meetings; recordings; minutes 2.2-3707.01. Meetings of the General Assembly 2.2-3707.1. Posting of minutes for state boards and commissions 2.2-3708. Repealed 2.2-3708.2. Meetings held through electronic communication means 2.2-3709. Expired 2.2-3710. Transaction of public business other than by votes at meetings prohibited 2.2-3711. Closed meetings authorized for certain limited purposes 2.2-3712. Closed meetings procedures; certification of proceedings 2.2-3713. Proceedings for enforcement of chapter 2.2-3714. Violations and penalties 2.2-3715. Effect of advisory opinions from the Freedom of Information Advisory Council on liability for willful and knowing violations § 2.2-3700. Short title; policy. A. This chapter may be cited as “The Virginia Freedom of Information Act.” B. By enacting this chapter, the General Assembly ensures the people of the Commonwealth ready access to public records in the custody of a public body or its officers and employees, and free entry to meetings of public bodies wherein the business of the people is being conducted. The affairs of government are not intended to be conducted in an atmosphere of secrecy since at all times the public is to be the beneficiary of any action taken at any level of government. Unless a public body or its officers or employees specifically elect to exercise an exemption provided by this chapter or any other statute, every meeting shall be open to the public and all public records shall be available for inspection and copying upon request. All public records and meetings shall be presumed open, unless an exemption is properly invoked. The provisions of this chapter shall be liberally construed to promote an increased awareness by all persons of governmental activities and afford every opportunity to citizens to witness the operations of government. Any exemption from public access to records or meetings shall be narrowly construed and no record shall be withheld or meeting closed to the public unless specifically made exempt pursuant to this chapter or other specific provision of law. This chapter shall not be construed to discourage the free discussion by government officials or employees of public matters with the citizens of the Commonwealth. All public bodies and their officers and employees shall make reasonable efforts to reach an agreement with a requester concerning the production of the records requested. Any ordinance adopted by a local governing body that conflicts with the provisions of this chapter shall be void. 1968, c. 479, § 2.1-340; 1976, c. 467, § 2.1-340.1; 1989, c. 358; 1990, c. 538; 1999, cc. 703, 726; 2001, c. 844; 2002, c. 393. § 2.2-3701. Definitions. As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning: “Closed meeting” means a meeting from which the public is excluded. “Electronic communication” means the use of technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities to transmit or receive information. “Emergency” means an unforeseen circumstance rendering the notice required by this chapter impossible or impracticable and which circumstance requires immediate action. “Information” as used in the exclusions established by §§ 2.2-3705.1 through 2.2-3705.7, means the content within a public record that references a specifically identified subject matter, and shall not be interpreted to require the production of information that is not embodied in a public record. “Meeting” or “meetings” means the meetings including work sessions, when sitting physically, or through electronic communication means pursuant to § 2.2-3708.2, as a body or entity, or as an informal assemblage of (i) as many as three members or (ii) a quorum, if less than three, of 1 the constituent membership, wherever held, with or without minutes being taken, whether or not votes are cast, of any public body. Neither the gathering of employees of a public body nor the gathering or attendance of two or more members of a public body (a) at any place or function where no part of the purpose of such gathering or attendance is the discussion or transaction of any public business, and such gathering or attendance was not called or prearranged with any purpose of discussing or transacting any business of the public body, or (b) at a public forum, candidate appearance, or debate, the purpose of which is to inform the electorate and not to transact public business or to hold discussions relating to the transaction of public business, even though the performance of the members individually or collectively in the conduct of public business may be a topic of discussion or debate at such public meeting, shall be deemed a “meeting” subject to the provisions of this chapter. “Open meeting” or “public meeting” means a meeting at which the public may be present. “Public body” means any legislative body, authority, board, bureau, commission, district or agency of the Commonwealth or of any political subdivision of the Commonwealth, including cities, towns and counties, municipal councils, governing bodies of counties, school boards and planning commissions; governing boards of public institutions of higher education; and other organizations, corporations or agencies in the Commonwealth supported wholly or principally by public funds. It shall include (i) the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program and its board of directors established pursuant to Chapter 50 (§ 38.2-5000 et seq.) of Title 38.2 and (ii) any committee, subcommittee, or other entity however designated, of the public body created to perform delegated functions of the public body or to advise the public body. It shall not exclude any such committee, subcommittee or entity because it has private sector or citizen members. Corporations organized by the Virginia Retirement System are “public bodies” for purposes of this chapter. For the purposes of the provisions of this chapter applicable to access to public records, constitutional officers and private police departments as defined in § 9.1-101 shall be considered public bodies and, except as otherwise expressly provided by law, shall have the same obligations to disclose public records as other custodians of public records. “Public records” means all writings and recordings that consist of letters, words or numbers, or their equivalent, set down by handwriting, typewriting, printing, photostatting, photography, magnetic impulse, optical or magneto-optical form, mechanical or electronic recording or other form of data compilation, however stored, and regardless of physical form or characteristics, prepared or owned by, or in the possession of a public body or its officers, employees or agents in the transaction of public business. “Regional public body” means a unit of government organized as provided by law within defined boundaries, as determined by the General Assembly, which unit includes two or more localities. “Scholastic records” means those records containing information directly related to a student or an applicant for admission and maintained by a public body that is an educational agency or institution or by a person acting for such agency or institution. “Trade secret” means the same as that term is defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (§ 59.1- 336 et seq.). 2 1968, c. 479, § 2.1-341; 1970, c. 456; 1974, c. 332; 1975, c. 307; 1977, c. 677; 1978, cc. 573, 826; 1979, cc. 369, 687; 1980, c. 754; 1984, c. 252; 1989, c. 358; 1990, c. 538; 1993, cc. 270, 720; 1994, cc. 845, 931; 1996, c. 609; 1997, c. 641; 1999, cc. 703, 726; 2001, c. 844; 2002, c. 393; 2003, c. 897; 2007, c. 945; 2008, cc. 233, 789; 2010, c.