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Subcommittee reports technical FOIA fix to allow consecutive virtual meetings for Gunston Hall board
Summary
House Bill 7 06, clarifying that Gunston Hall's governing board may hold consecutive virtual meetings notwithstanding a FOIA provision limiting consecutive virtual meetings, was reported with amendments by the subcommittee on an 8–0 vote after limited testimony and a brief amendment from DLS to align code citations.
Delegate Henson presented House Bill 7 06 to adjust FOIA language so that Gunston Hall — a Commonwealth‑owned historic site managed by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America — can permit back‑to‑back virtual meetings for board members who reside outside the state. The sponsor told the panel the board’s bylaws already require two in‑person meetings yearly but remote meetings are otherwise constrained by a FOIA provision; the bill would allow consecutive virtual meetings notwithstanding that section.
Testimony included a neutral comment from the Virginia Coalition for Open Government noting the prior rules on all‑virtual meetings had been crafted with many stakeholders and a carve‑out might invite more exemptions. After a brief amendment to reference the correct FOIA code section, the subcommittee reported the bill with amendments on a recorded vote of 8 to 0.
