Title 2.2, Title 2.2. Administration of Government

The following information contained in a public record is excluded from the mandatory disclosure provisions of this chapter but may be disclosed by the custodian in his discretion, except where such disclosure is prohibited by law. Redaction of information excluded under this sec…

The following information contained in a public record is excluded from the mandatory disclosure provisions of this chapter but may be disclosed by the custodian in his discretion, except where such disclosure is prohibited by law. Redaction of information excluded under this sec…

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as denying public access to the nonexempt portions of a report of a consultant hired by or at the request of a local public body or the mayor or chief executive or administrative officer of such public body if (i) the contents of such re…

A. Records required to be released. All public bodies engaged in criminal law-enforcement activities shall provide the following records when requested in accordance with the provisions of this chapter: 1. Adult arrestee photographs taken during the initial intake following the a…

A. For purposes of this section: "Criminal investigative files" means any documents and information, including complaints, court orders, memoranda, notes, diagrams, maps, photographs, correspondence, reports, witness statements, and evidence, relating to a criminal investigation …

A. All meetings of public bodies shall be open, except as provided in §§ 2.2-3707.01 and 2.2-3711. B. All state public bodies subject to the provisions of this chapter: 1. May allow public access to their meetings through electronic communication means, including telephone or vid…

A. Except as provided in subsection B, public access to any meeting of the General Assembly or a portion thereof shall be governed by rules established by the Joint Rules Committee and approved by a majority vote of each house at the next regular session of the General Assembly. …

Except for a public meeting convened pursuant to subdivision 10 of § 53.1-136 for conducting the final deliberation and vote regarding whether the Virginia Parole Board will grant parole to a prisoner, a meeting of the Virginia Parole Board members, regardless of whether such mem…

All boards, commissions, councils, and other public bodies created in the executive branch of state government and subject to the provisions of this chapter shall post minutes of their meetings on such body's official public government website and on a central electronic calendar…

Except as provided in subsection I of § 2.2-3707, any local public body subject to the provisions of this chapter shall post minutes of its meetings on its official public government website, if any, within seven working days of final approval of the minutes. If a local public bo…

Any public body, or any joint meetings thereof, may meet by electronic communication means without a quorum of the public body physically assembled at one location when the Governor has declared a state of emergency in accordance with § 44-146.17 or the locality in which the publ…

A. Public bodies are encouraged to (i) provide public access, both in person and through electronic communication means, to public meetings and (ii) provide avenues for public comment at public meetings when public comment is customarily received, which may include public comment…

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…

A. Public bodies may hold closed meetings only for the following purposes: 1. Discussion, consideration, or interviews of prospective candidates for employment; assignment, appointment, promotion, performance, demotion, salaries, disciplining, or resignation of specific public of…

A. No closed meeting shall be held unless the public body proposing to convene such meeting has taken an affirmative recorded vote in an open meeting approving a motion that (i) identifies the subject matter, (ii) states the purpose of the meeting as authorized in subsection A of…

A. Any person, including the attorney for the Commonwealth acting in his official or individual capacity, denied the rights and privileges conferred by this chapter may proceed to enforce such rights and privileges by filing a petition for mandamus or injunction, supported by an …

A. In a proceeding commenced against any officer, employee, or member of a public body under § 2.2-3713 for a violation of § 2.2-3704, 2.2-3705.1 through 2.2-3705.7, 2.2-3706, 2.2-3706.1, 2.2-3707, 2.2-3708.2, 2.2-3708.3, 2.2-3710, 2.2-3711, or 2.2-3712, the court, if it finds th…

Any officer, employee, or member of a public body who is alleged to have committed a willful and knowing violation pursuant to § 2.2-3714 shall have the right to introduce at any proceeding a copy of a relevant advisory opinion issued pursuant to § 30-179 as evidence that he did …

A. This chapter may be cited as the "Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act." B. The General Assembly finds that: 1. An individual's privacy is directly affected by the extensive collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of personal information; 2. The i…

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Agency" means any agency, authority, board, department, division, commission, institution, bureau, or like governmental entity of the Commonwealth or of any unit of local government including counties, cit…

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to personal information systems: 1. Maintained by any court of the Commonwealth; 2. Which may exist in publications of general circulation; 3. Contained in the Criminal Justice Information System as defined in §§ 9.1-126 through 9.1-…

A. Any agency maintaining an information system that includes personal information shall: 1. Collect, maintain, use, and disseminate only that personal information permitted or required by law to be so collected, maintained, used, or disseminated, or necessary to accomplish a pro…

If a public school board or public institution of higher education provides access to its buildings and grounds and the student information directory to persons or groups that make students aware of occupational or educational options, the board or institution shall provide acces…

Any agency maintaining an information system that disseminates statistical reports or research findings based on personal information drawn from its system, or from other systems shall: 1. Make available to any data subject or group, without revealing trade secrets, methodology a…

A. Any agency maintaining personal information shall: 1. Inform an individual who is asked to supply personal information about himself whether he is legally required, or may refuse, to supply the information requested, and also of any specific consequences that are known to the …

Every agency shall make report of the existence of any information system that it operates or develops that shall include a description of the nature of the data in the system and purpose for which it is used. An inventory listing or similar display of the information shall be ma…

A. It shall be unlawful for any agency to: 1. Require an individual to disclose or furnish his social security number not previously disclosed or furnished, for any purpose in connection with any activity, or to refuse any service, privilege, or right to an individual wholly or p…

Notwithstanding Chapter 37 (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.), it is unlawful for any agency to disclose the social security number or other identification numbers appearing on a driver's license or other document issued under Chapter 3 (§ 46.2-300 et seq.) of Title 46.2 or the comparable law …

Any aggrieved person may institute a proceeding for injunction or mandamus against any person or agency that has engaged, is engaged, or is about to engage in any acts or practices in violation of the provisions of this chapter. The proceeding shall be brought in the district or …

A. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the first five digits of a social security number contained in a public record shall be confidential and exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.). For the purposes of this chapter: "Agency" m…

A. Any aggrieved person may institute a proceeding for injunction or mandamus against any agency that has engaged, is engaged, or is about to engage in any acts in violation of the provisions of this chapter. Venue for the petition shall be addressed as follows: 1. In a case invo…

As used in this section: "Agency" means any authority, board, commission, council, department, instrumentality, institution, or other unit of state government located in the executive or legislative branch; independent agencies; and any county, city, or town, or other unit of loc…

The Secretary of the Commonwealth, in cooperation with the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, shall develop standards for the use of digital signatures by agencies on electronic records generated by such agencies. The process for developing and maintaining such standards s…

Agencies may make digitally certified copies of electronic records available, provided that such records are created in accordance with the standards developed pursuant to § 2.2-3818. An agency may charge a fee not to exceed $5 for a digitally certified copy of a record provided …

A. This chapter shall be known and cited as the Virginia Human Rights Act. B. It is the policy of the Commonwealth to: 1. Safeguard all individuals within the Commonwealth from unlawful discrimination because of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, sex, pregnancy, ch…

A. The terms "because of sex or gender" or "on the basis of sex or gender" or terms of similar import when used in reference to discrimination in the Code and acts of the General Assembly include because of or on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, …

The provisions of this chapter shall be construed liberally for the accomplishment of its policies. Conduct that violates any Virginia or federal statute or regulation governing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marita…

A. As used in this section: "Age" means being an individual who is at least 18 years of age. "Place of public accommodation" means all places or businesses offering or holding out to the general public goods, services, privileges, facilities, advantages, or accommodations, includ…

A. As used in this section: "Age" means being an individual who is at least 40 years of age. "Domestic worker" means an individual who is compensated directly or indirectly for the performance of services of a household nature performed in or about a private home, including servi…

A. As used in this section: "Employer" means any person, or agent of such person, employing more than five employees for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year. "Person with a disability" means the term as defined in § 51.5…

A. Whenever the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that any person or group of persons is engaged in a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of any of the rights granted by this chapter, or that any person or group of persons has been denied any of…

A. Any person claiming to be aggrieved by an unlawful discriminatory practice may file a complaint in writing under oath or affirmation with the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Law (the Office). Unless otherwise stated in this chapter, a complaint alleging a violation…

A. 1. An aggrieved person may commence a timely civil action in an appropriate general district or circuit court having jurisdiction over the person who allegedly unlawfully discriminated against such person in violation of this chapter. Any such civil action may only be filed, i…

A. As used in this section: "Employer" means any person, or agent of such person, employing five or more employees for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year. "Lactation" means lactation as defined in § 2.2-3905. "Reasonabl…

A. This chapter may be cited as the "Administrative Process Act." B. The purpose of this chapter is to supplement present and future basic laws conferring authority on agencies either to make regulations or decide cases as well as to standardize court review thereof save as laws …

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Agency" means any authority, instrumentality, officer, board or other unit of the state government empowered by the basic laws to make regulations or decide cases. "Agency action" means either an agency's …