Virginia Law

A. The Commission shall have the power and duty to:

1. Maintain offices, hold meetings and functions at any place within the Commonwealth that it deems necessary.

2. Conduct private and public hearings, and designate a member of the Commission to preside over such hearings. Pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Commission, witnesses appearing before the Commission may be examined privately and the Commission shall not make public the particulars of such examination. The Commission shall not have the power to take testimony at private or public hearings unless at least three of its members are present at such hearings. Witnesses appearing before the Commission at its request shall be entitled to receive the same fees and mileage as persons summoned to testify in the courts of the Commonwealth, if such witnesses request such fees and mileage.

3. Conduct studies and gather information and data in order to accomplish its purposes as set forth in § 30-156, and in connection with the faithful execution and effective enforcement of the laws of the Commonwealth with particular reference but not limited to organized crime and racketeering, and formulate its recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly.

4. Submit an annual report of its recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor. The Commission shall make such further interim reports to the Governor and the General Assembly as it deems advisable or as required by the Governor or by concurrent resolution of the General Assembly. The chairman of the Commission shall submit to the General Assembly and the Governor an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Commission no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

B. At the direction or request of the legislature by concurrent resolution or of the Governor, the Commission shall, or at the request of any department, board, bureau, commission, authority or other agency created by the Commonwealth, or to which the Commonwealth is a party, the Commission may study the operations, management, jurisdiction, powers and interrelationship of any such department, board, bureau, commission, authority or other agency that has any direct responsibility for enforcing the criminal laws of the Commonwealth.

1972, c. 766, §§ 9-127, 9-128, 9-132, 9-134; 2001, c. 844; 2004, c. 1000.