Code of Virginia
Chapter 37 - Virginia Freedom of Information Act
§ 2.2-3710. Transaction of public business other than by votes at meetings prohibited

A. Unless otherwise specifically provided by law, no vote of any kind of the membership, or any part thereof, of any public body shall be taken to authorize the transaction of any public business, other than a vote taken at a meeting conducted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. No public body shall vote by secret or written ballot, and unless expressly provided by this chapter, no public body shall vote by telephone or other electronic communication means.
B. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained herein shall be construed to prohibit (i) separately contacting the membership, or any part thereof, of any public body for the purpose of ascertaining a member's position with respect to the transaction of public business, whether such contact is done in person, by telephone or by electronic communication, provided the contact is done on a basis that does not constitute a meeting as defined in this chapter or (ii) the House of Delegates or the Senate of Virginia from adopting rules relating to the casting of votes by members of standing committees. Nothing in this subsection shall operate to exclude any public record from the provisions of this chapter.
1987, c. 71, § 2.1-343.2; 1999, cc. 703, 726; 2000, c. 932; 2001, cc. 710, 844; 2002, c. 491.

Structure Code of Virginia

Code of Virginia

Title 2.2 - Administration of Government

Chapter 37 - Virginia Freedom of Information Act

§ 2.2-3700. Short title; policy

§ 2.2-3701. (Effective until September 1, 2022) Definitions

§ 2.2-3701. (Effective September 1, 2022) 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. (Effective until date pursuant to Va. Const., Art. IV, § 13) Exclusions to application of chapter; exclusions of general application to public bodies

§ 2.2-3705.1. (Effective pursuant to Va. Const., Art. IV, § 13) 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. 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. (Effective until September 1, 2022) Meetings to be public; notice of meetings; recordings; minutes

§ 2.2-3707. (Effective September 1, 2022) Meetings to be public; notice of meetings; recordings; minutes

§ 2.2-3707.01. (Effective until September 1, 2022) Meetings of the General Assembly

§ 2.2-3707.01. (Effective September 1, 2022) Meetings of the General Assembly

§ 2.2-3707.1. Posting of minutes for state boards and commissions

§ 2.2-3707.2. Posting of minutes for local public bodies

§ 2.2-3708. Repealed

§ 2.2-3708.1. Repealed

§ 2.2-3708.2. (Effective until September 1, 2022) Meetings held through electronic communication means

§ 2.2-3708.2. (Effective September 1, 2022) Meetings held through electronic communication means during declared states of emergency

§ 2.2-3708.3. (Effective September 1, 2022) Meetings held through electronic communication means; situations other than declared states of emergency

§ 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. (Effective until September 1, 2022) Violations and penalties

§ 2.2-3714. (Effective September 1, 2022) Violations and penalties

§ 2.2-3715. Effect of advisory opinions from the Freedom of Information Advisory Council on liability for willful and knowing violations