Guidance Documents November 2011 Brought to you by: Department of Planning and Budget

ROAD MAP What is a guidance document? What is a guidance document? EO Requirement for uploading guidance docs EO Requirement for uploading guidance docs Where you can find guidance documents on Town Hall Where you can find guidance documents on Town Hall The ideal guidance document submission The ideal guidance document submission How to upload/edit/delete guidance documents How to upload/edit/delete guidance documents How to prepare your filing for the Registrar How to prepare your filing for the Registrar

What is a guidance document? Section of the Code of Virginia says that: "Guidance document" means any document developed by a state agency or staff that provides information or guidance of general applicability to the staff or public to interpret or implement statutes or the agency's rules or regulations...

As distinguished from a regulation RegulationGuidance Promulgated Developed by agency/staff Has the force of law; issued in accordance with authority conferred on rulemaking body by General Assembly Provides information or guidance to interpret statutes or the agency’s rules or regulations Affects right or conducts of any person For agency staff & public

Not a guidance document Meeting agendas or minutes Meeting agendas or minutes Documents that pertain only to the internal management of agencies Documents that pertain only to the internal management of agencies Court opinions regarding regulations Court opinions regarding regulations

Examples of guidance documents Policy directives Policy directives Agency program initiatives Agency program initiatives Interpretive statements construing the law Interpretive statements construing the law Technical protocols Technical protocols Others Others

Executive Order 14 (2010) requirement regarding guidance documents Agencies shall make all guidance documents, as defined by Section of the Code of Virginia, available to the public on the Town Hall. Agencies shall make all guidance documents, as defined by Section of the Code of Virginia, available to the public on the Town Hall. Any guidance document currently available in electronic format shall be posted on the Town Hall. Any guidance document currently available in electronic format shall be posted on the Town Hall. Any changes to a guidance document shall be reflected on the Town Hall within 10 days of the change. Any changes to a guidance document shall be reflected on the Town Hall within 10 days of the change.

Why emphasize this requirement now? Makes sense given the development of the Town Hall and the time agencies have had to adjust to requirement that guidance documents be uploaded on the Town Hall. Makes sense given the development of the Town Hall and the time agencies have had to adjust to requirement that guidance documents be uploaded on the Town Hall. Registrar requires a complete list of guidance documents from every agency and has begun to provide links to the guidance docs themselves on the Registrar website. These links go to the Town Hall. Registrar requires a complete list of guidance documents from every agency and has begun to provide links to the guidance docs themselves on the Registrar website. These links go to the Town Hall. Given Code and EO requirements, it seems logical for Town Hall to submit list of guidance docs for agencies. It is more efficient for agencies and Registrar to operate in this manner. Given Code and EO requirements, it seems logical for Town Hall to submit list of guidance docs for agencies. It is more efficient for agencies and Registrar to operate in this manner. Overall desire for Town Hall to display complete and accurate information. Overall desire for Town Hall to display complete and accurate information.

How to find guidance docs on Town Hall On tool bar (Note Filter Options) On tool bar (Note Filter Options) Search box (input word in title of guidance doc) Search box (input word in title of guidance doc) By agency By agency By board By board By chapter By chapter

Tool: Filter

Filter Options

The ideal guidance document submission

“Ideal” recap Title is concise & clear Title is concise & clear Summary is concise & clear Summary is concise & clear Includes relevant citation(s) to Code of VA Includes relevant citation(s) to Code of VA Link is to guidance document itself Link is to guidance document itself Guidance document itself lists date last revised Guidance document itself lists date last revised Applicability is tailored to precise reg(s) Applicability is tailored to precise reg(s) Recently reviewed/updated Recently reviewed/updated

How to upload/edit/delete guidance documents nts.cfm nts.cfm

Guidance Doc Files Can be Word file (still must be.doc for the time being) Can be Word file (still must be.doc for the time being) Can be PDF files Can be PDF files

Annual filing with the Registrar’s office Pursuant to the Sections and of the Code of Virginia, your agency must file annually a list of guidance documents with the Registrar’s office.

Town Hall Report: Guidance Docs

Submission of Guidance Document List to Registrar No later than December 31, 2011, all of your agency's guidance documents (which are available in an electronic format) must be uploaded on the Town Hall website. No later than December 31, 2011, all of your agency's guidance documents (which are available in an electronic format) must be uploaded on the Town Hall website. On or about this date, Town Hall will automatically send a list of your agency’s guidance documents to the Registrar. On or about this date, Town Hall will automatically send a list of your agency’s guidance documents to the Registrar.

An entry for each and every guidance document Make sure all your guidance documents are loaded on the Town Hall. Note: Where an electronic version of the guidance document is not yet available, instead of uploading the guidance document on the Town Hall, please upload a Word document that lists the name and contact information for the person at your agency who may be contacted in order to obtain a copy. Make sure all your guidance documents are loaded on the Town Hall. Note: Where an electronic version of the guidance document is not yet available, instead of uploading the guidance document on the Town Hall, please upload a Word document that lists the name and contact information for the person at your agency who may be contacted in order to obtain a copy. Ensure that the most recent version of each guidance document has been uploaded on the Town Hall. Ensure that the most recent version of each guidance document has been uploaded on the Town Hall. Check your list of guidance documents against your list of guidance documents on the Registrar’s website to ensure your list is complete. Check your list of guidance documents against your list of guidance documents on the Registrar’s website to ensure your list is complete.Registrar’s websiteRegistrar’s website

Intro Paragraph: Step by step From the agency functions drop down list, choose “My Agency Boards.” Click on the "Edit agency" link. Click on the "Edit agency" link. Include the following information (in narrative form) in the text box: Include the following information (in narrative form) in the text box: Name, address, and telephone number of the staff person(s) to contact for obtaining copies. Name, address, and telephone number of the staff person(s) to contact for obtaining copies. Name, address, and telephone number of the staff person(s) to contact for asking interpretive or implementation questions. Name, address, and telephone number of the staff person(s) to contact for asking interpretive or implementation questions. State that (most/all) your guidance documents are available electronically for no charge on the Town Hall. State that (most/all) your guidance documents are available electronically for no charge on the Town Hall. Location for viewing printed copies of your guidance documents. Location for viewing printed copies of your guidance documents. Costs associated with obtaining printed copies of these documents from the agency. If there is no charge, so indicate. If the cost varies depending on the document, so indicate. Any other information that you think would be helpful to the public. Costs associated with obtaining printed copies of these documents from the agency. If there is no charge, so indicate. If the cost varies depending on the document, so indicate. Any other information that you think would be helpful to the public. Click on the "Save" button. You’re done! Click on the "Save" button. You’re done!

Submission to Registrar: Edit Agency

Type in introductory paragraph

Wish list for Guidance Docs on Town Hall Allow agencies to more easily notify their interested parties registered on the Town Hall that a new guidance doc has been uploaded or the fact that a guidance doc has been updated. (Right now, must use agency mailing list). Allow agencies to more easily notify their interested parties registered on the Town Hall that a new guidance doc has been uploaded or the fact that a guidance doc has been updated. (Right now, must use agency mailing list). At the chapter level, have only guidance document appear that are associated specifically with that chapter. (Currently, all agency guidance docs show up.) At the chapter level, have only guidance document appear that are associated specifically with that chapter. (Currently, all agency guidance docs show up.) Allow agency to see their guidance document submission to the Registrar Allow agency to see their guidance document submission to the Registrar Add “My Guidance Docs” under list of Agency functions Add “My Guidance Docs” under list of Agency functions

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