                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

MEETINGS HELD THROUGH ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION MEANS DURING DECLARED STATES OF
EMERGENCY (§ 2.2-3708.2)

Any public body, or any joint meetings thereof, may meet by electronic
communication means without a quorum of the public body physically assembled at
one location when the Governor has declared a state of emergency in accordance
with § 44-146.17 or the locality in which the public body is located has
declared a local state of emergency pursuant to § 44-146.21, provided that (i)
the catastrophic nature of the declared emergency makes it impracticable or
unsafe to assemble a quorum in a single location and (ii) the purpose of the
meeting is to provide for the continuity of operations of the public body or the
discharge of its lawful purposes, duties, and responsibilities. The public body
convening a meeting in accordance with this section shall:

1. Give public notice using the best available method given the nature of the
emergency, which notice shall be given contemporaneously with the notice
provided to members of the public body conducting the meeting;

2. Make arrangements for public access to such meeting through electronic
communication means, including videoconferencing if already used by the public
body;

3. Provide the public with the opportunity to comment at those meetings of the
public body when public comment is customarily received; and

4. Otherwise comply with the provisions of this chapter.
			The nature of the emergency, the fact that the meeting was held by electronic
communication means, and the type of electronic communication means by which the
meeting was held shall be stated in the minutes.
			The provisions of this section shall be applicable only for the duration of
the emergency declared pursuant to &#xA7; 44-146.17 or 44-146.21.
			Nothing herein shall be deemed to invalidate any action taken at a meeting
held by a public body using electronic communication means that occurred between
March 20, 2020, and July 1, 2021, if such public body provided public notice,
public access, and public comment commensurate with the requirements of this
section and &#xA7;&#xA7; 2.2-3710, 2.2-3711, and 2.2-3712.

HISTORY: 2018, cc. 55, 56; 2019, c. 359; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 33, 490; 2022,
c. 597; 2024, cc. 305, 344.