2.2-3701 - Definitions.
§ 2.2-3701. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, unless the context requires adifferent meaning:
"Closed meeting" means a meeting from which thepublic is excluded.
"Electronic communication" means any audio orcombined audio and visual communication method.
"Emergency" means an unforeseen circumstancerendering the notice required by this chapter impossible or impracticable andwhich circumstance requires immediate action.
"Meeting" or "meetings" means the meetingsincluding work sessions, when sitting physically, or through telephonic orvideo equipment pursuant to § 2.2-3708 or 2.2-3708.1, as a body or entity, oras an informal assemblage of (i) as many as three members or (ii) a quorum, ifless than three, of the constituent membership, wherever held, with or withoutminutes being taken, whether or not votes are cast, of any public body. Thegathering of employees of a public body shall not be deemed a"meeting" subject to the provisions of this chapter.
"Open meeting" or "public meeting" means ameeting at which the public may be present.
"Public body" means any legislative body, authority,board, bureau, commission, district or agency of the Commonwealth or of anypolitical subdivision of the Commonwealth, including cities, towns andcounties, municipal councils, governing bodies of counties, school boards andplanning commissions; boards of visitors of public institutions of highereducation; and other organizations, corporations or agencies in theCommonwealth supported wholly or principally by public funds. It shall include(i) the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program and itsboard of directors established pursuant to Chapter 50 (§ 38.2-5000 et seq.) ofTitle 38.2 and (ii) any committee, subcommittee, or other entity howeverdesignated, of the public body created to perform delegated functions of thepublic body or to advise the public body. It shall not exclude any suchcommittee, subcommittee or entity because it has private sector or citizenmembers. Corporations organized by the Virginia Retirement System are"public bodies" for purposes of this chapter.
For the purposes of the provisions of this chapter applicableto access to public records, constitutional officers shall be considered publicbodies and, except as otherwise expressly provided by law, shall have the sameobligations to disclose public records as other custodians of public records.
"Public records" means all writings and recordingsthat consist of letters, words or numbers, or their equivalent, set down byhandwriting, typewriting, printing, photostatting, photography, magneticimpulse, optical or magneto-optical form, mechanical or electronic recording orother form of data compilation, however stored, and regardless of physical formor characteristics, prepared or owned by, or in the possession of a public bodyor its officers, employees or agents in the transaction of public business.
"Regional public body" means a unit of governmentorganized as provided by law within defined boundaries, as determined by theGeneral Assembly, whose members are appointed by the participating localgoverning bodies, and such unit includes two or more counties or cities.
"Scholastic records" means those records containinginformation directly related to a student or an applicant for admission andmaintained by a public body that is an educational agency or institution or bya person acting for such agency or institution.
(1968, c. 479, § 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.)