2006 Code of Virginia § 30-178 - Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council; membership; terms; quorum; expenses

30-178. Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council; membership;terms; quorum; expenses.

A. The Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council (the Council) ishereby created as an advisory council in the legislative branch to encourageand facilitate compliance with the Freedom of Information Act.

B. The Council shall consist of 12 members as follows: the Attorney Generalor his designee; the Librarian of Virginia or his designee; the Director ofthe Division of Legislative Services or his designee; four members appointedby the Speaker of the House of Delegates, one of whom shall be a member ofthe House of Delegates, and three nonlegislative citizen members, at leastone of whom shall be or have been a representative of the news media; threemembers appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one of whom shall be amember of the Senate, one of whom shall be or have been an officer of localgovernment, and one nonlegislative citizen at-large member; and twononlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor, one of whom shallnot be a state employee. The local government representative may be selectedfrom a list recommended by the Virginia Association of Counties and theVirginia Municipal League, after due consideration of such list by the SenateCommittee on Rules. The citizen members may be selected from a listrecommended by the Virginia Press Association, the Virginia Association ofBroadcasters, and the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, after dueconsideration of such list by the appointing authorities.

C. All appointments following the initial staggering of terms shall be forterms of four years, except that appointments to fill vacancies shall be forthe unexpired terms in the same manner as the original appointment. Nononlegislative citizen member shall be eligible to serve for more than twosuccessive four-year terms. However, after the expiration of a term of threeyears or less, or after the expiration of the remainder of a term to whichappointed to fill a vacancy, two additional terms may be served by suchmember if appointed thereto. Legislative members and other state governmentofficials shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office.Legislative members may be reappointed for successive terms.

D. The members of the Council shall elect from among their membership achairman and a vice-chairman for two-year terms. The chairman andvice-chairman may not succeed themselves to the same position. The Councilshall hold meetings quarterly or upon the call of the chairman. A majority ofthe Council shall constitute a quorum.

E. Members of the Council shall receive no compensation for their servicesbut shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred inthe performance of their duties as provided in 2.2-2813, 2.2-2825 and30-19.12, as appropriate. Funding for expenses of the members shall beprovided from existing appropriations to the Council.

(2000, cc. 917, 987, 2.1-346.2; 2001, c. 844; 2004, c. 1000.)