Virginia 2019 Regular Session Status: In Committee

SB 1554 — Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); violations and civil penalties.

Last action — Assigned GL sub: Subcommittee #4

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House of Delegates
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2019 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Provides that in addition to any penalties imposed under FOIA, (i) if a court finds that any officer, employee, or member of a public body failed to provide public records to a requester in accordance with the provisions of FOIA because such officer, employee, or member of a public body altered or destroyed the requested public records with the intention of avoiding the provisions of FOIA prior to the expiration of the applicable record retention period set pursuant to the Virginia Public Records Act, the court may impose upon such officer, employee, or member in his individual capacity a civil penalty of up to $100 per record altered or destroyed and (ii) if a court finds that a member of a public body voted to certify a closed meeting and at the time of such certification such certification was not in accordance with the requirements of FOIA, the court may impose on each such member voting to certify in his individual capacity a civil penalty of $500.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

In the updated version of Bill SB 1554, a new provision has been added at line 74.220.50.48, while an earlier provision at line 74.220.50.216 has been removed. This change might introduce new requirements or clarify existing rules, which could have a significant impact on how the bill is applied. It's important to understand these changes to grasp how they will affect the stakeholders involved or the intended outcomes of the bill.

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74.220.50.216
74.220.50.48
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Action History

  1. Assigned GL sub: Subcommittee #4

  2. Referred to Committee on General Laws

  3. Read first time

  4. Placed on Calendar

  5. Passed by for the day

  6. Printed as engrossed 19103495D-E

  7. Engrossed by Senate as amended SB1554E

  8. Committee amendments agreed to

  9. Reading of amendments waived

  10. Read second time

  11. Assigned GL&T sub: #1

  12. Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology

  13. Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/19 19103495D

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 147 not signed on · 2 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (147)

147 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 147 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Read third time and passed Senate

Passed 34 Yea · 6 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 34600
Total 34600
% of votes cast 85%15%0%0%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Barker — Yea
Carrico — Yea
Cosgrove — Yea
Dance — Yea
Hanger — Yea
Newman — Nay
Norment — Yea
Petersen — Yea
Howell — Yea
Mason — Yea
McClellan — Yea
Spruill — Yea
Black — Nay
Chafin — Nay
Chase — Yea
Dunnavant — Yea
Edwards — Nay
Lewis — Yea
Ruff — Yea
Saslaw — Yea
Vogel — Yea
Wagner — Yea
Adam P. Ebbin — Yea
Barbara A. Favola — Yea
Bill DeSteph — Yea
Bryce E. Reeves — Yea
David R. Suetterlein — Nay
David W. Marsden — Yea
Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr. — Yea
Jennifer B. Boysko — Yea
Jeremy S. McPike — Yea
L. Louise Lucas — Yea
Mamie E. Locke — Yea
Mark D. Obenshain — Yea
Mark J. Peake — Yea
R. Creigh Deeds — Yea
Richard H. Stuart — Nay
Ryan T. McDougle — Yea
Scott A. Surovell — Yea
William M. Stanley, Jr. — Yea

Official roll call →

Constitutional reading dispensed

Passed 40 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 40000
Total 40000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Barker — Yea
Cosgrove — Yea
Lewis — Yea
Norment — Yea
Petersen — Yea
Howell — Yea
Mason — Yea
McClellan — Yea
Black — Yea
Carrico — Yea
Chafin — Yea
Chase — Yea
Dance — Yea
Dunnavant — Yea
Edwards — Yea
Hanger — Yea
Spruill — Yea
Newman — Yea
Ruff — Yea
Saslaw — Yea
Vogel — Yea
Wagner — Yea
Adam P. Ebbin — Yea
Barbara A. Favola — Yea
Bill DeSteph — Yea
Bryce E. Reeves — Yea
David R. Suetterlein — Yea
David W. Marsden — Yea
Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr. — Yea
Jennifer B. Boysko — Yea
Jeremy S. McPike — Yea
L. Louise Lucas — Yea
Mamie E. Locke — Yea
Mark D. Obenshain — Yea
Mark J. Peake — Yea
R. Creigh Deeds — Yea
Richard H. Stuart — Yea
Ryan T. McDougle — Yea
Scott A. Surovell — Yea
William M. Stanley, Jr. — Yea

Official roll call →

Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendments

Passed 11 Yea · 2 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 11200
Total 11200
% of votes cast 85%15%0%0%
How each member voted (13)
Member Party Vote
Barker — Yea
Dunnavant — Nay
Ruff — Yea
Vogel — Yea
Mason — Yea
Adam P. Ebbin — Yea
Bill DeSteph — Yea
Bryce E. Reeves — Yea
David R. Suetterlein — Nay
Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr. — Yea
Jeremy S. McPike — Yea
Mamie E. Locke — Yea
Scott A. Surovell — Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

civil-rights elections
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 1554 do?
Provides that in addition to any penalties imposed under FOIA, (i) if a court finds that any officer, employee, or member of a public body failed to provide public records to a requester in accordance with the provisions of FOIA because such officer, employee, or member of a public body altered or destroyed the requested public records with the intention of avoiding the provisions of FOIA prior to the expiration of the applicable record retention period set pursuant to the Virginia Public Records Act, the court may impose upon such officer, employee, or member in his individual capacity a civil penalty of up to $100 per record altered or destroyed and (ii) if a court finds that a member of a public body voted to certify a closed meeting and at the time of such certification such certification was not in accordance with the requirements of FOIA, the court may impose on each such member voting to certify in his individual capacity a civil penalty of $500.
Who sponsors SB 1554?
SB 1554 is sponsored by Scott A. Surovell.
What is the current status of SB 1554?
This bill died with 2019 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 1554?
Track SB 1554 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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