{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/2.2-3701.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/2.2-3701.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/2.2-3701.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/2.2-3701.html"}],"law_id":62411,"edition_id":1,"section_id":62411,"structure_id":12976,"section_number":"2.2-3701","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"1968, c. 479, \u00a7 2.1-341; 1970, c. 456; 1974, c. 332; 1975, c. 307; 1977, c. 677; 1978, cc. 573, 826; 1979, cc. 369, 687; 1980, c. 754; 1984, c. 252; 1989, c. 358; 1990, c. 538; 1993, cc. 270, 720; 1994, cc. 845, 931; 1996, c. 609; 1997, c. 641; 1999, cc. 703, 726; 2001, c. 844; 2002, c. 393; 2003, c. 897; 2007, c. 945; 2008, cc. 233, 789; 2010, c. 706; 2011, c. 242; 2015, cc. 131, 195, 224; 2016, cc. 620, 716; 2017, cc. 616, 778; 2018, cc. 54, 55; 2019, c. 358; 2022, cc. 325, 597; 2024, cc. 610, 617, 733, 756.","full_text":"As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“All-virtual public meeting” means a public meeting (i) conducted by a public body, other than those excepted pursuant to subsection C of \u00a7 2.2-3708.3, using electronic communication means, (ii) during which all members of the public body who participate do so remotely rather than being assembled in one physical location, and (iii) to which public access is provided through electronic communication means.\n\t\t“Caregiver” means an adult who provides care for a person with a disability as defined in \u00a7 51.5-40.1. A caregiver shall be either related by blood, marriage, or adoption to or the legally appointed guardian of the person with a disability for whom he is caring.\n\t\t“Closed meeting” means a meeting from which the public is excluded.\n\t\t“Electronic communication” means the use of technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities to transmit or receive information.\n\t\t“Emergency” means an unforeseen circumstance rendering the notice required by this chapter impossible or impracticable and which circumstance requires immediate action.\n\t\t“Information,” as used in the exclusions established by \u00a7\u00a7 2.2-3705.1 through 2.2-3705.7, means the content within a public record that references a specifically identified subject matter, and shall not be interpreted to require the production of information that is not embodied in a public record.\n\t\t“Meeting” or “meetings” means the meetings including work sessions, when sitting physically, or through electronic communication means pursuant to \u00a7 2.2-3708.2 or 2.2-3708.3, as a body or entity, or as an informal assemblage of (i) as many as three members or (ii) a quorum, if less than three, of the constituent membership, wherever held, with or without minutes being taken, whether or not votes are cast, of any public body. Neither the gathering of employees of a public body nor the gathering or attendance of two or more members of a public body (a) at any place or function where no part of the purpose of such gathering or attendance is the discussion or transaction of any public business, such gathering or attendance was not called or prearranged with any purpose of discussing or transacting any business of the public body, and no discussion or transaction of public business takes place among the members of the public body or (b) at a public forum, informational gathering, candidate appearance, meeting of another public body, or debate, the purpose of which is to inform the electorate or to gather information from the public and not to transact public business or to hold discussions relating to the transaction of public business, where no discussion or transaction of public business takes place among the members of the public body, even though the performance of the members individually or collectively in the conduct of public business may be a topic of discussion, debate, or question presented by others at such public meeting, shall be deemed a “meeting” subject to the provisions of this chapter. The appointment of more than two members of a public body to another public body does not constitute a meeting of the first public body. For purposes of this definition of “meeting” only, the term “public business” means any activity a public body has undertaken or proposes to undertake on behalf of the people it represents.\n\t\t“Official public government website” means any Internet site controlled by a public body and used, among any other purposes, to post required notices and other content pursuant to this chapter on behalf of the public body.\n\t\t“Open meeting” or “public meeting” means a meeting at which the public may be present.\n\t\t“Public body” means any legislative body, authority, board, bureau, commission, district, or agency of the Commonwealth or of any political subdivision of the Commonwealth, including counties, cities, and towns, municipal councils, governing bodies of counties, school boards, and planning commissions; governing boards of public institutions of higher education; and other organizations, corporations, or agencies in the Commonwealth supported wholly or principally by public funds. It shall include (i) the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program and its board of directors established pursuant to Chapter 50 (\u00a7 38.2-5000 et seq.) of Title 38.2 and (ii) any committee, subcommittee, or other entity however designated of the public body created to perform delegated functions of the public body or to advise the public body. It shall not exclude any such committee, subcommittee, or entity because it has private sector or citizen members. Corporations organized by the Virginia Retirement System are “public bodies” for purposes of this chapter.\n\t\tFor the purposes of the provisions of this chapter applicable to access to public records, constitutional officers and private police departments as defined in \u00a7 9.1-101 shall be considered public bodies and, except as otherwise expressly provided by law, shall have the same obligations to disclose public records as other custodians of public records.\n\t\t“Public records” means all writings and recordings that consist of letters, words, or numbers, or their equivalent, set down by handwriting, typewriting, printing, photostatting, photography, magnetic impulse, optical or magneto-optical form, mechanical or electronic recording, or other form of data compilation, however stored, and regardless of physical form or characteristics, prepared or owned by, or in the possession of a public body or its officers, employees, or agents in the transaction of public business.\n\t\t“Regional public body” means a unit of government organized as provided by law within defined boundaries, as determined by the General Assembly, which unit includes two or more localities.\n\t\t“Remote participation” means participation by an individual member of a public body by electronic communication means in a public meeting where a quorum of the public body is otherwise physically assembled.\n\t\t“Scholastic records” means those records containing information directly related to a student or an applicant for admission and maintained by a public body that is an educational agency or institution or by a person acting for such agency or institution.\n\t\t“Trade secret” means the same as that term is defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (\u00a7 59.1-336 et seq.).","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":227592,"text":"As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“All-virtual public meeting” means a public meeting (i) conducted by a public body, other than those excepted pursuant to subsection C of \u00a7 2.2-3708.3, using electronic communication means, (ii) during which all members of the public body who participate do so remotely rather than being assembled in one physical location, and (iii) to which public access is provided through electronic communication means.\n\t\t“Caregiver” means an adult who provides care for a person with a disability as defined in \u00a7 51.5-40.1. A caregiver shall be either related by blood, marriage, or adoption to or the legally appointed guardian of the person with a disability for whom he is caring.\n\t\t“Closed meeting” means a meeting from which the public is excluded.\n\t\t“Electronic communication” means the use of technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities to transmit or receive information.\n\t\t“Emergency” means an unforeseen circumstance rendering the notice required by this chapter impossible or impracticable and which circumstance requires immediate action.\n\t\t“Information,” as used in the exclusions established by \u00a7\u00a7 2.2-3705.1 through 2.2-3705.7, means the content within a public record that references a specifically identified subject matter, and shall not be interpreted to require the production of information that is not embodied in a public record.\n\t\t“Meeting” or “meetings” means the meetings including work sessions, when sitting physically, or through electronic communication means pursuant to \u00a7 2.2-3708.2 or 2.2-3708.3, as a body or entity, or as an informal assemblage of (i) as many as three members or (ii) a quorum, if less than three, of the constituent membership, wherever held, with or without minutes being taken, whether or not votes are cast, of any public body. Neither the gathering of employees of a public body nor the gathering or attendance of two or more members of a public body (a) at any place or function where no part of the purpose of such gathering or attendance is the discussion or transaction of any public business, such gathering or attendance was not called or prearranged with any purpose of discussing or transacting any business of the public body, and no discussion or transaction of public business takes place among the members of the public body or (b) at a public forum, informational gathering, candidate appearance, meeting of another public body, or debate, the purpose of which is to inform the electorate or to gather information from the public and not to transact public business or to hold discussions relating to the transaction of public business, where no discussion or transaction of public business takes place among the members of the public body, even though the performance of the members individually or collectively in the conduct of public business may be a topic of discussion, debate, or question presented by others at such public meeting, shall be deemed a “meeting” subject to the provisions of this chapter. The appointment of more than two members of a public body to another public body does not constitute a meeting of the first public body. For purposes of this definition of “meeting” only, the term “public business” means any activity a public body has undertaken or proposes to undertake on behalf of the people it represents.\n\t\t“Official public government website” means any Internet site controlled by a public body and used, among any other purposes, to post required notices and other content pursuant to this chapter on behalf of the public body.\n\t\t“Open meeting” or “public meeting” means a meeting at which the public may be present.\n\t\t“Public body” means any legislative body, authority, board, bureau, commission, district, or agency of the Commonwealth or of any political subdivision of the Commonwealth, including counties, cities, and towns, municipal councils, governing bodies of counties, school boards, and planning commissions; governing boards of public institutions of higher education; and other organizations, corporations, or agencies in the Commonwealth supported wholly or principally by public funds. It shall include (i) the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program and its board of directors established pursuant to Chapter 50 (\u00a7 38.2-5000 et seq.) of Title 38.2 and (ii) any committee, subcommittee, or other entity however designated of the public body created to perform delegated functions of the public body or to advise the public body. It shall not exclude any such committee, subcommittee, or entity because it has private sector or citizen members. Corporations organized by the Virginia Retirement System are “public bodies” for purposes of this chapter.\n\t\tFor the purposes of the provisions of this chapter applicable to access to public records, constitutional officers and private police departments as defined in \u00a7 9.1-101 shall be considered public bodies and, except as otherwise expressly provided by law, shall have the same obligations to disclose public records as other custodians of public records.\n\t\t“Public records” means all writings and recordings that consist of letters, words, or numbers, or their equivalent, set down by handwriting, typewriting, printing, photostatting, photography, magnetic impulse, optical or magneto-optical form, mechanical or electronic recording, or other form of data compilation, however stored, and regardless of physical form or characteristics, prepared or owned by, or in the possession of a public body or its officers, employees, or agents in the transaction of public business.\n\t\t“Regional public body” means a unit of government organized as provided by law within defined boundaries, as determined by the General Assembly, which unit includes two or more localities.\n\t\t“Remote participation” means participation by an individual member of a public body by electronic communication means in a public meeting where a quorum of the public body is otherwise physically assembled.\n\t\t“Scholastic records” means those records containing information directly related to a student or an applicant for admission and maintained by a public body that is an educational agency or institution or by a person acting for such agency or institution.\n\t\t“Trade secret” means the same as that term is defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (\u00a7 59.1-336 et seq.).","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":12976,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Freedom of Information Act","identifier":"37","label":"chapter","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12751,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:06","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:06","permalink":{"id":176447,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12976,"identifier":"37","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/37","url":"\/2.2\/II\/B\/37\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12751,"edition_id":1,"name":"Transaction of Public Business","identifier":"B","label":"part","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12750,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":176445,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12751,"identifier":"B","token":"2.2\/II\/B","url":"\/2.2\/II\/B\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12750,"edition_id":1,"name":"Administration of State Government","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12749,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":176253,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12750,"identifier":"II","token":"2.2\/II","url":"\/2.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12749,"edition_id":1,"name":"Administration of Government","identifier":"2.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":171453,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12749,"identifier":"2.2","token":"2.2","url":"\/2.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":55569,"structure_id":12976,"section_number":"2.2-3700","catch_line":"Short title; 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policy","url":"\/2.2-3700\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/37\/2.2-3700","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":84993,"structure_id":12976,"section_number":"2.2-3702","catch_line":"Notice of chapter","url":"\/2.2-3702\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/37\/2.2-3702","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/2.2-3701\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1968. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 479 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1968 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 29 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1970, chapter 456; in 1974, chapter 332; in 1975, chapter 307; in 1977, chapter 677; in 1978, chapters 573 and 826; in 1979, chapters 369 and 687; in 1980, chapter 754; in 1984, chapter 252; in 1989, chapter 358; in 1990, chapter 538; in 1993, chapters 270 and 720; in 1994, chapters 845<\/a> and 931<\/a>; in 1996, chapter 609<\/a>; in 1997, chapter 641<\/a>; in 1999, chapters 703<\/a> and 726<\/a>; in 2001, chapter 844<\/a>; in 2002, chapter 393<\/a>; in 2003, chapter 897<\/a>; in 2007, chapter 945<\/a>; in 2008, chapters 233<\/a> and 789<\/a>; in 2010, chapter 706<\/a>; in 2011, chapter 242<\/a>; in 2015, chapters 131<\/a>, 195<\/a>, and 224<\/a>; in 2016, chapters 620<\/a> and 716<\/a>; in 2017, chapters 616<\/a> and 778<\/a>; in 2018, chapters 54<\/a> and 55<\/a>; in 2019, chapter 358<\/a>; in 2022, chapters 325<\/a> and 597<\/a>; in 2024, chapters 610<\/a>, 617<\/a>, 733<\/a>, and 756<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":58950,"section_number":"2.2-3803","catch_line":"Administration of systems including personal information; Internet privacy policy; exceptions","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-3803\/"},{"id":84798,"section_number":"2.2-3815","catch_line":"Access to social security numbers prohibited; exceptions","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-3815\/"},{"id":57436,"section_number":"22.1-287.04","catch_line":"Uniformed services-connected students","order_by":null,"url":"\/22.1-287.04\/"},{"id":73297,"section_number":"23.1-307","catch_line":"Public institutions of higher education; tuition and fees","order_by":null,"url":"\/23.1-307\/"},{"id":65879,"section_number":"24.2-107","catch_line":"Meetings; quorum; notice; account of proceedings; seal; records open to inspection","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-107\/"},{"id":70810,"section_number":"30-179","catch_line":"Powers and duties of the Council","order_by":null,"url":"\/30-179\/"},{"id":81763,"section_number":"55.1-1209","catch_line":"Confidentiality of tenant records","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-1209\/"},{"id":69066,"section_number":"59.1-480","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-480\/"},{"id":68155,"section_number":"8.01-420.7","catch_line":"Attorney-client privilege and work product protection; limitations on waiver","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-420.7\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":72874,"section_number":"2.2-3705.1","catch_line":"Exclusions to application of chapter; exclusions of general application to public bodies","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-3705.1\/"},{"id":79544,"section_number":"2.2-3705.7","catch_line":"Exclusions to application of chapter; records of specific public bodies and certain other limited exclusions","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-3705.7\/"},{"id":78376,"section_number":"2.2-3708.2","catch_line":"Meetings held through electronic communication means during declared states of emergency","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-3708.2\/"},{"id":54063,"section_number":"2.2-3708.3","catch_line":"Meetings held through electronic communication means; situations other than declared states of emergency","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-3708.3\/"},{"id":74067,"section_number":"38.2-5000","catch_line":"Short title","order_by":null,"url":"\/38.2-5000\/"},{"id":60539,"section_number":"51.5-40.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/51.5-40.1\/"},{"id":73338,"section_number":"59.1-336","catch_line":"Short title and definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-336\/"},{"id":73488,"section_number":"9.1-101","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/9.1-101\/"}],"permalink":{"id":176453,"object_type":"law","relational_id":62411,"identifier":"2.2-3701","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/37\/2.2-3701","url":"\/2.2-3701\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/2.2-3701\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/37\/2.2-3701","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 2.2-3701","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“All-virtual public meeting<\/span>” means a public meeting (i) conducted by a public body, other than those excepted pursuant to subsection C of \u00a7 2.2-3708.3<\/a>, using electronic communication<\/span> means, (ii) during which all members of the public body who participate do so remotely rather than being assembled in one physical location, and (iii) to which public access is provided through electronic communication<\/span> means.\n\t\t“Caregiver<\/span>” means an adult who provides care for a person with a disability as defined in \u00a7 51.5-40.1<\/a>. A caregiver<\/span> shall be either related by blood, marriage, or adoption to or the legally appointed guardian of the person with a disability for whom he is caring.\n\t\t“Closed meeting<\/span>” means a meeting from which the public is excluded.\n\t\t“Electronic communication<\/span>” means the use of technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities to transmit or receive information.\n\t\t“Emergency<\/span>” means an unforeseen circumstance rendering the notice required by this chapter impossible or impracticable and which circumstance requires immediate action.\n\t\t“Information,” as used in the exclusions established by \u00a7\u00a7 2.2-3705.1<\/a> through 2.2-3705.7<\/a>, means the content within a public record that references a specifically identified subject matter, and shall not be interpreted to require the production of information that is not embodied in a public record.\n\t\t“Meeting” or “meetings<\/span><\/span>” means the meetings<\/span><\/span> including work sessions, when sitting physically, or through electronic communication<\/span> means pursuant to \u00a7 2.2-3708.2<\/a> or 2.2-3708.3<\/a>, as a body or entity, or as an informal assemblage of (i) as many as three members or (ii) a quorum, if less than three, of the constituent membership, wherever held, with or without minutes being taken, whether or not votes are cast, of any public body. Neither the gathering of employees of a public body nor the gathering or attendance of two or more members of a public body (a) at any place or function where no part of the purpose of such gathering or attendance is the discussion or transaction of any public business<\/span>, such gathering or attendance was not called or prearranged with any purpose of discussing or transacting any business of the public body, and no discussion or transaction of public business<\/span> takes place among the members of the public body or (b) at a public forum, informational gathering, candidate appearance<\/span>, meeting of another public body, or debate, the purpose of which is to inform the electorate or to gather information from the public and not to transact public business<\/span> or to hold discussions relating to the transaction of public business<\/span>, where no discussion or transaction of public business<\/span> takes place among the members of the public body, even though the performance of the members individually or collectively in the conduct of public business<\/span> may be a topic of discussion, debate, or question presented by others at such public meeting, shall be deemed a “meeting” subject to the provisions of this chapter. The appointment of more than two members of a public body to another public body does not constitute a meeting of the first public body. For purposes of this definition of “meeting” only, the term “public business<\/span>” means any activity a public body has undertaken or proposes to undertake on behalf of the people it represents.\n\t\t“Official public government website<\/span>” means any Internet site controlled by a public body and used, among any other purposes, to post required notices and other content pursuant to this chapter on behalf of the public body.\n\t\t“Open meeting<\/span>” or “public meeting” means a meeting at which the public may be present.\n\t\t“Public body” means any legislative body, authority, board, bureau, commission, district, or agency of the Commonwealth or of any political subdivision of the Commonwealth, including counties, cities, and towns, municipal councils, governing bodies of counties, school boards, and planning commissions; governing boards of public institutions of higher education; and other organizations, corporations, or agencies in the Commonwealth supported wholly or principally by public funds. It shall include (i) the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program and its board of directors established pursuant to Chapter 50 (\u00a7 38.2-5000<\/a> et seq.) of Title 38.2 and (ii) any committee, subcommittee, or other entity however designated of the public body created to perform delegated functions of the public body or to advise the public body. It shall not exclude any such committee, subcommittee, or entity because it has private sector or citizen members. Corporations organized by the Virginia Retirement System are “public bodies<\/span>” for purposes of this chapter.\n\t\tFor the purposes of the provisions of this chapter applicable to access to public records<\/span>, constitutional officers and private police departments as defined in \u00a7 9.1-101<\/a> shall be considered public bodies<\/span> and, except as otherwise expressly provided by law<\/span>, shall have the same obligations to disclose public records<\/span> as other custodians of public records<\/span>.\n\t\t“Public records<\/span>” means all writings and recordings that consist of letters, words, or numbers, or their equivalent, set down by handwriting, typewriting, printing, photostatting, photography, magnetic impulse, optical or magneto-optical form, mechanical or electronic recording, or other form of data compilation, however stored, and regardless of physical form or characteristics, prepared or owned by, or in the possession<\/span> of a public body or its officers, employees, or agents in the transaction of public business<\/span>.\n\t\t“Regional public body<\/span>” means a unit of government organized as provided by law<\/span> within defined boundaries, as determined by the General Assembly, which unit includes two or more localities.\n\t\t“Remote participation<\/span>” means participation by an individual member of a public body by electronic communication<\/span> means in a public meeting where a quorum of the public body is otherwise physically assembled.\n\t\t“Scholastic records<\/span>” means those records containing information directly related to a student or an applicant for admission and maintained by a public body that is an educational agency or institution or by a person acting for such agency or institution.\n\t\t“Trade secret<\/span>” means the same as that term is defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets<\/span> Act (\u00a7 59.1-336<\/a> et seq.).<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 2.2-3701)\n\nAs used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“All-virtual public meeting” means a public meeting (i) conducted\nby a public body, other than those excepted pursuant to subsection C of \u00a7\n2.2-3708.3, using electronic communication means, (ii) during which all members\nof the public body who participate do so remotely rather than being assembled in\none physical location, and (iii) to which public access is provided through\nelectronic communication means.\n\t\t“Caregiver” means an adult who provides care for a person with a\ndisability as defined in \u00a7 51.5-40.1. A caregiver shall be either related by\nblood, marriage, or adoption to or the legally appointed guardian of the person\nwith a disability for whom he is caring.\n\t\t“Closed meeting” means a meeting from which the public is\nexcluded.\n\t\t“Electronic communication” means the use of technology having\nelectrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar\ncapabilities to transmit or receive information.\n\t\t“Emergency” means an unforeseen circumstance rendering the notice\nrequired by this chapter impossible or impracticable and which circumstance\nrequires immediate action.\n\t\t“Information,” as used in the exclusions established by \u00a7\u00a7\n2.2-3705.1 through 2.2-3705.7, means the content within a public record that\nreferences a specifically identified subject matter, and shall not be\ninterpreted to require the production of information that is not embodied in a\npublic record.\n\t\t“Meeting” or “meetings” means the meetings including\nwork sessions, when sitting physically, or through electronic communication\nmeans pursuant to \u00a7 2.2-3708.2 or 2.2-3708.3, as a body or entity, or as an\ninformal assemblage of (i) as many as three members or (ii) a quorum, if less\nthan three, of the constituent membership, wherever held, with or without\nminutes being taken, whether or not votes are cast, of any public body. Neither\nthe gathering of employees of a public body nor the gathering or attendance of\ntwo or more members of a public body (a) at any place or function where no part\nof the purpose of such gathering or attendance is the discussion or transaction\nof any public business, such gathering or attendance was not called or\nprearranged with any purpose of discussing or transacting any business of the\npublic body, and no discussion or transaction of public business takes place\namong the members of the public body or (b) at a public forum, informational\ngathering, candidate appearance, meeting of another public body, or debate, the\npurpose of which is to inform the electorate or to gather information from the\npublic and not to transact public business or to hold discussions relating to\nthe transaction of public business, where no discussion or transaction of public\nbusiness takes place among the members of the public body, even though the\nperformance of the members individually or collectively in the conduct of public\nbusiness may be a topic of discussion, debate, or question presented by others\nat such public meeting, shall be deemed a “meeting” subject to the\nprovisions of this chapter. The appointment of more than two members of a public\nbody to another public body does not constitute a meeting of the first public\nbody. For purposes of this definition of “meeting” only, the term\n“public business” means any activity a public body has undertaken or\nproposes to undertake on behalf of the people it represents.\n\t\t“Official public government website” means any Internet site\ncontrolled by a public body and used, among any other purposes, to post required\nnotices and other content pursuant to this chapter on behalf of the public body.\n\t\t“Open meeting” or “public meeting” means a meeting at\nwhich the public may be present.\n\t\t“Public body” means any legislative body, authority, board,\nbureau, commission, district, or agency of the Commonwealth or of any political\nsubdivision of the Commonwealth, including counties, cities, and towns,\nmunicipal councils, governing bodies of counties, school boards, and planning\ncommissions; governing boards of public institutions of higher education; and\nother organizations, corporations, or agencies in the Commonwealth supported\nwholly or principally by public funds. It shall include (i) the Virginia\nBirth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program and its board of\ndirectors established pursuant to Chapter 50 (\u00a7 38.2-5000 et seq.) of Title\n38.2 and (ii) any committee, subcommittee, or other entity however designated of\nthe public body created to perform delegated functions of the public body or to\nadvise the public body. It shall not exclude any such committee, subcommittee,\nor entity because it has private sector or citizen members. Corporations\norganized by the Virginia Retirement System are “public bodies” for\npurposes of this chapter.\n\t\tFor the purposes of the provisions of this chapter applicable to access to\npublic records, constitutional officers and private police departments as\ndefined in \u00a7 9.1-101 shall be considered public bodies and, except as otherwise\nexpressly provided by law, shall have the same obligations to disclose public\nrecords as other custodians of public records.\n\t\t“Public records” means all writings and recordings that consist of\nletters, words, or numbers, or their equivalent, set down by handwriting,\ntypewriting, printing, photostatting, photography, magnetic impulse, optical or\nmagneto-optical form, mechanical or electronic recording, or other form of data\ncompilation, however stored, and regardless of physical form or characteristics,\nprepared or owned by, or in the possession of a public body or its officers,\nemployees, or agents in the transaction of public business.\n\t\t“Regional public body” means a unit of government organized as\nprovided by law within defined boundaries, as determined by the General\nAssembly, which unit includes two or more localities.\n\t\t“Remote participation” means participation by an individual member\nof a public body by electronic communication means in a public meeting where a\nquorum of the public body is otherwise physically assembled.\n\t\t“Scholastic records” means those records containing information\ndirectly related to a student or an applicant for admission and maintained by a\npublic body that is an educational agency or institution or by a person acting\nfor such agency or institution.\n\t\t“Trade secret” means the same as that term is defined in the\nUniform Trade Secrets Act (\u00a7 59.1-336 et seq.).\n\nHISTORY: 1968, c. 479, \u00a7 2.1-341; 1970, c. 456; 1974, c. 332; 1975, c. 307;\n1977, c. 677; 1978, cc. 573, 826; 1979, cc. 369, 687; 1980, c. 754; 1984, c.\n252; 1989, c. 358; 1990, c. 538; 1993, cc. 270, 720; 1994, cc. 845, 931; 1996,\nc. 609; 1997, c. 641; 1999, cc. 703, 726; 2001, c. 844; 2002, c. 393; 2003, c.\n897; 2007, c. 945; 2008, cc. 233, 789; 2010, c. 706; 2011, c. 242; 2015, cc.\n131, 195, 224; 2016, cc. 620, 716; 2017, cc. 616, 778; 2018, cc. 54, 55; 2019,\nc. 358; 2022, cc. 325, 597; 2024, cc. 610, 617, 733, 756.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}