Tomorrow (April 27, 2011) at the Roanoke Times building in Roanoke, a FOIA workshop will be held from 9:30AM until Noon. There is still time to register for this worthwhile program. Following this program, there will be a Records Management Seminar from 1:30PM until 4PM.
There are several informational links to check out if you are interested in one or both of these programs. For more information about either the morning program or the afternoon program, check out this information and registration page from VCOG (Virginia Coalition for Open Government).
VCOG Director Megan Rhyne has put together a great list of what FOIA is and isn’t. I highly recommend reading it. Some things on it you may already know, but I was even surprised at what was listed.
I know Ms. Rhyne has worked hard on these workshops, and they are a part of the ongoing process of educating and informing the public about all things FOIA in the Commonwealth. Here is a sample of her list:
RECORDS
FOIA applies to records that belong to the public; they are not the personal property of government employees.
FOIA requests do not have to be in writing (but it helps!).
FOIA requests must be answered; failure to answer is a violation.
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MEETINGS
FOIA applies to all public bodies and their committees, subcommittees, work groups and/or task forces.
FOIA applies to all proceedings, regardless of what they are called: formal, informal, work sessions, retreats and/or consent agenda meetings.
FOIA allows members of a public body to talk one-on-one and via email, even email sent to the entire group.
FOIA allows members of a public body to socialize at parties, so long as the purpose of the gathering is not to discuss public business.
FOIA does not require that any meeting be closed; closed-meeting exemptions are discretionary.
Ms Rhyne has asked participants in tomorrow’s workshops to come up with a list of their own about what FOIA is and isn’t. Although I am unable to make it to these workshops, I encourage everyone with an interest in open government and transparency in the process of governing to attend if you can.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Interestingly, new FOIA legislation will go into effect on 7/1/11
The fines have been doubled for non compliance- wonder if cities will now be more likely to be compliant 🙂
The short answer is “no”, because judges and localities don’t pay attention to the law now.
The fines could be quadrupled, but if they are not levied, there will be no punitive effect.
So, they double the fines. A taxpayer makes an FOIA request. The request is rejected or ignored. The taxpayer sues with his own money, and the government defends itself — with the taxpayers’ money. The government loses and is fined, and pays the fine — with the taxpayers’ money.
Am I missing something?
Only the fact that in the past twelve years that has happened only twice! And you need to take into account that the VA FOIA Advisory council has only been in exsistance since 2000. Things have improved compliance-wise but the average citizen doesn’t even know when/if FOIA is violated.
I thought the VA FOIA Advisory council was on the chopping list of boards to eliminate for Gov. McDonnell this year. To bad to because that saves the citizens who dispute FOIA money and saves the tax payers money when the cities don’t have to go to court.