The House General Laws subcommittee on Procurement/Open Government met on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. This week's docket includes a few pieces of proposed legislation impacting K-12 education, with 2 bills dealing with FOIA.
To view this week's House General Laws subcommittee click here.
The bills listed below reported out of full committee in the uncontested block.
HB313 (Delegate Wachsmann) Virginia FOIA; public records to be open to inspection, non-citizen property owners.
Includes non-citizens owning property within the Commonwealth among the list of persons to whom all public records shall be open under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
Tabled and forwarded to the FOIA Council for more information.
HB463 (Delegate Cohen) Virginia Freedom of Information Act; definitions, meetings, quorum and electronic communication.
Amends the definition of "meeting" for purposes of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act such that any assemblage of a quorum of the constituent membership of a public body constitutes a meeting. Under current law, as many as three members or a quorum, if less than three, of the constituent membership of a public body constitutes a meeting. The bill additionally authorizes members of a public body participating through electronic communication in a meeting in which other members are participating in person to count toward the quorum as if the individual were physically present, should such member's physical absence be due to an approved cause of absence.
Continued to 2027 with a letter to the FOIA Council. Passed unanimously on a voice vote.
The House General Laws subcommittee on Procurement/Open Government meets weekly during the session on Tuesdays, 15 min after the adjournment of General Laws - ABC/Gaming Subcommittee, on House Committee Room B - 205, General Assembly Building. A link to the Live Stream video and recordings of all previously held committee meetings and floor sessions of the House can be viewed by clicking here.
Sofhia Pineda
VSBA Government Relations Specialist
