Policy Number: V-8
Last Reviewed: May 26, 2026
Responsible Dept.: President’s Office
A signed copy of this policy is available in the President’s Office.
8.1: Remote Participation by Individual Members
In accordance with and as permitted by Virginia Code § 2.2-3708.3. Meetings held through electronic communication means; situations other than declared states of emergency, this policy permits remote participation by individual members of the Local Advisory Board (LAB). This policy shall apply to the entire membership and without regard to the identity of the member requesting remote participation or the matters that will be considered or voted on at the meeting.
Individual members may participate in meetings from a remote location if, in advance of the public meeting, a member notifies the chair that the member is unable to attend the meeting in person because (1) the member has a temporary or permanent disability or other medical condition that prevents the member’s physical attendance; (2) a medical condition of a member of the member’s family requires the member to provide care that prevents the member’s physical attendance; or (3) the member is unable to attend the meeting in person due to a personal matter and identifies with specificity the nature of the personal matter.
Remote participation due to a personal matter is limited to two meetings per calendar year or 25 percent of the meetings held per calendar year rounded up to the next whole number, whichever is greater. Members participating remotely for other reasons as prescribed by this Policy may do so an unlimited number of times, unless the LAB disapproves of such participation.
Committee chairs may participate remotely as prescribed by this Policy. In these cases, committee chairs shall appoint another member, preferably a vicechair, to chair the committee meeting and participate in an Executive Committee meeting in person.
The law requires a quorum of the LAB to be physically assembled at the primary meeting location, and there must be arrangements for the voice of the remote participant to be heard by all persons at the primary meeting location.
8.1.2 Approval Process
When a member notifies the chair that he or she wants to participate by electronic communication means due to a temporary or permanent disability or other medical condition, a family member’s medical condition, the distance between the member’s principal residence and the meeting location, or due to a personal matter, participation shall be approved unless such participation would violate this Policy or the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. If a member’s participation from a remote location for any reason is challenged by another board member, then the Local Advisory Board shall vote whether to allow such participation. The Local Advisory Board shall maintain a record of all requests of members to participate by electronic communication means.
8.1.3 Minutes
The Local Advisory Board shall record in its minutes the date of and reason for the request to participate remotely. If a member’s participation by electronic communication means is approved, the Local Advisory Board shall record in its minutes the remote location from which the member participated; however, the remote location need not be open to the public and may be identified in the minutes by a general description.
The minutes also shall include the reason why the member participated remotely, i.e., (1) a temporary or permanent disability or other medical condition that prevented the member’s physical attendance; (2) a family member’s medical condition that required the member to provide care for such family member, thereby preventing the member’s physical attendance; or (4) the specific nature of the personal matter cited by the member.
If the Local Advisory Board disapproves a member’s participation from a remote location because such participation would violate this Policy or the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, such disapproval shall be recorded in the minutes with specificity.
8.2 All-Virtual Meetings
The Local Advisory Board (LAB) and each of its committees may hold an all-virtual public meeting, provided that the LAB or committee follows the requirements described below.
8.2.1 When All-Virtual Meetings are Allowed
The Local Advisory Board (LAB) and each of its committees may hold an all-virtual public meeting if: (1) the weather makes travelling to the meeting location hazardous and prevents a quorum from being physically present in one central location, but a state or local state of emergency has not been declared; or (2) the LAB or committee cannot establish a quorum and action is required at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
The LAB and each of its committees may not hold an all-virtual public meeting (1) more than two times per calendar year or 25 percent of the meetings held per calendar year rounded up to the next whole number, whichever is greater, or (2) consecutively with another all-virtual public meeting.
8.2.2 All-Virtual Meeting Requirements
In addition to the other provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act for meetings and meetings by electronic communication means, the Local Advisory Board (LAB) shall comply with the following provisions when it conducts an all-virtual meeting:
- The meeting notice must indicate whether the meeting will be an in-person or all-virtual public meeting and include a statement notifying the public that the method by which the LAB chooses to meet shall not be changed unless a new meeting notice is issued in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act;
- Public access to the all-virtual public meeting must be provided via electronic communication means;
- The electronic communication means used must allow the public to hear all members of the public body participating in the all-virtual meeting and, when audio-visual technology is available, to see the members of the LAB as well; when audio-visual technology is available, a member shall, for purposes of a quorum, be considered absent from any portion of the meeting during which visual communication with the member is voluntarily disconnected or otherwise fails or during which audio communication involuntarily fails;
- A phone number or other live contact information is provided to alert the public body if the audio or video transmission of the meeting provided by the public body fails, the public body monitors such designated means of communication during the meeting, and the public body takes a recess until public access is restored if the transmission fails for the public;
- A copy of the proposed agenda and all agenda packets and, unless exempt, all materials furnished to members of a public body for a meeting is made available to the public in electronic format at the same time that such materials are provided to members of the public body;
- The public is afforded the opportunity to comment through electronic means, including by way of written comments, at those public meetings when public comment is customarily received;
- No more than two members of the public body are together in any one remote location unless that remote location is open to the public to physically access it;
- If a closed session is held during an all-virtual public meeting, transmission of the meeting to the public resumes before the public body votes to certify the closed meeting; and
- Minutes of all-virtual public meetings held must be taken and include the fact that the meeting was held by electronic communication means and the type of electronic communication means by which the meeting was held. If a member’s participation in an all-virtual meeting from a remote location is disapproved because such participation would violate this policy, such disapproval shall be recorded in the minutes with specificity.
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