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Virginia Board for People with Disabilities adopts electronic participation policy, sets March meeting as all-virtual
Summary
The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities on Dec. 3 approved an updated Electronic Meeting and Participation Policy (Board Policy 14.0), endorsed guidance from the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council on electronic-quorum rules, and confirmed the March 4, 2026 board meeting will be held entirely virtually.
The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities voted Dec. 3 to adopt updated language in Board Policy 14.0: Electronic Participation in Meetings and to hold its March 4, 2026, meeting as an all-virtual session.
Teri Morgan, the Board’s executive director, told members that revisions to the policy were non‑substantive and technical and noted that Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council staff had reviewed the document. The Board approved the policy on a motion from Mr. Kyle Jones, seconded by Ms. Erika Rogers; the motion carried unanimously.
The Board also announced that the Executive Committee had previously approved electronic participation for six members who requested to attend remotely for personal reasons. Chair Allison Coles-Johnson told the full Board that those members — Mary Vought, Cesar Dulanto, Cynthia Pettus, Deanna Parker, Cathy Edwards and Amaan Karim — were approved to participate virtually by the Executive Committee and were welcomed by the Board.
Alan Gernhardt, director of the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council, briefed members on FOIA rules governing public meetings and electronic participation, emphasizing that “electronic meetings must still have an in-person quorum” while noting that people with disabilities and caregivers who participate electronically may be counted toward quorum in some circumstances.
The Board’s action reflects a recurring legal requirement: Ms. Morgan reminded members that, per the Code of Virginia, the Board must annually review and adopt a policy to allow electronic participation. The policy update and the decision to hold the March meeting virtually will be reflected in Board notices and meeting materials ahead of the March session.
The Board took the action as part of routine governance business; no substantive changes to decision-making procedures were reported beyond the technical edits to the policy.
