Code of Virginia — Title 2.2 (Administration of Government), Chapter 41 (VIRGINIA REGISTER ACT)
§ 2.2-4103. Agencies to file regulations with Registrar; other duties; failure to file.
It shall be the duty of every agency to have on file with the Registrar the full text of all of its currently operative regulations, together with the dates of adoption, revision, publication, or amendment thereof and such additional information requested by the Commission or the Registrar for the purpose of publishing the Virginia Register of Regulations and the Virginia Administrative Code. Thereafter, coincidentally with the issuance thereof, each agency shall from day to day so file, date, and supplement all new regulations and amendments, repeals, or additions to its previously filed regulations. The filed regulations shall (i) indicate the laws they implement or carry out, (ii) designate any prior regulations repealed, modified, or supplemented, (iii) state any special effective or terminal dates, and (iv) be accompanied by a statement or certification, either in original or electronic form, that the regulations are full, true, and correctly dated. No regulation or amendment or repeal thereof shall be effective until filed with the Registrar.

Orders condemning or closing any shellfish, finfish or crustacea growing area and the shellfish, finfish or crustacea located thereon pursuant to Article 2 (§ 28.2-803 et seq.) of Chapter 8, of Title 28.2, which are exempt from the requirements of the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) as provided in subsection B of § 2.2-4002, shall be effective on the date specified by the promulgating agency. Such orders shall continue to be filed with the Registrar either before or after their effective dates in order to satisfy the need for public availability of information respecting the regulations of state agencies.

In addition, each agency shall itself (a) maintain a complete list of all of its currently operative regulations for public consultation, (b) make available to public inspection a complete file of the full texts of all such regulations, and (c) allow public copying thereof or make copies available either without charge, at cost, or on payment of a reasonable fee. Each agency shall also maintain as a public record a complete file of its regulations that have been superseded on and after June 1, 1975.

Where regulations adopt textual matter by reference to publications other than the Federal Register or Code of Federal Regulations, the agency shall (1) file with the Registrar copies of the referenced publications, (2) state on the face of or as notations to regulations making such adoptions by reference the places where copies of the referred publications may be procured, and (3) make copies of such referred publications available for public inspection and copying along with its other regulations.

Unless he finds that there are special circumstances requiring otherwise, the Governor, in addition to the exercise of his authority to see that the laws are faithfully executed, may, until compliance with this chapter is achieved, withhold the payment of compensation or expenses of any officer or employee of any agency in whole or part whenever the Commission certifies to him that the agency has failed to comply with this section or this chapter in stated respects, to respond promptly to the requests of the Registrar, or to comply with the regulations of the Commission.

1973, c. 535, § 9-6.18; 1975, c. 502; 1982, c. 489; 1989, c. 299; 1997, cc. 11, 87; 2001, c. 844; 2007, c. 41; 2010, cc. 178, 407, 728; 2017, c. 488; 2020, cc. 201, 356.