                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

PUBLIC BODIES TO DESIGNATE FOIA OFFICER (§ 2.2-3704.2)

A. All state public bodies, including state authorities, that are subject to the
provisions of this chapter and all local public bodies and regional public
bodies that are subject to the provisions of this chapter shall designate and
publicly identify one or more Freedom of Information Act officers (FOIA officer)
whose responsibility is to serve as a point of contact for members of the public
in requesting public records and to coordinate the public body&#8217;s
compliance with the provisions of this chapter.

B. For such state public bodies, the name and contact information of the public
body&#8217;s FOIA officer to whom members of the public may direct requests for
public records and who will oversee the public body&#8217;s compliance with the
provisions of this chapter shall be made available to the public upon request
and be posted on the respective public body&#8217;s official public government
website at the time of designation and maintained thereafter on such website for
the duration of the designation.

C. For such local public bodies and regional public bodies, the name and contact
information of the public body&#8217;s FOIA officer to whom members of the
public may direct requests for public records and who will oversee the public
body&#8217;s compliance with the provisions of this chapter shall be made
available in a way reasonably calculated to provide notice to the public,
including posting at the public body&#8217;s place of business, posting on its
official public government website, or including such information in its
publications.

D. For the purposes of this section, local public bodies shall include
constitutional officers.

E. Any such FOIA officer shall possess specific knowledge of the provisions of
this chapter and be trained at least once during each consecutive period of two
calendar years commencing with the date on which he last completed a training
session by legal counsel for the public body or the Virginia Freedom of
Information Advisory Council (the Council) or through an online course offered
or approved by the Council. Any legal counsel for a public body who is also
designated as the public body&#8217;s FOIA officer shall complete a training
session or online course offered or approved by the Council. Any such training
shall document that the training required by this subsection has been fulfilled.

F. The name and contact information of a FOIA officer trained by legal counsel
of a public body shall be (i) submitted to the Council by July 1 of the year a
FOIA officer is initially trained on a form developed by the Council for that
purpose and (ii) updated in a timely manner in the event of any changes to such
information.

G. The Council shall maintain on its website a listing of all FOIA officers,
including name, contact information, and the name of the public body such FOIA
officers serve.

HISTORY: 2016, c. 748; 2017, cc. 290, 778; 2020, c. 1141; 2025, c. 533.