CHAPTER 548
An Act to amend and reenact § 6, as amended, of Chapter 693 of the Acts of Assembly of 1954, relating to the appointment and removal of members of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Commission.
Approved April 15, 1998
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 6, as amended, of Chapter 693 of the Acts of Assembly of 1954 is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 6. Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Commission.--A Commission, to be
known as the "Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Commission," is hereby created
as the governing board of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel District created
by this act. The Commission shall consist of the following eleven
members, including a member of the State Highway Commission appointed by
the Governor for a term of five years and ten members who shall be appointed as
follows: One member from each of the counties of Accomack and Northampton and
one additional member from either the county of Accomack or the county of
Northampton, who shall be appointed by the Judge of the Circuit Courts for the
aforesaid counties; one member from the county of Princess Anne or the city of
Virginia Beach, who shall be appointed by the Judge of the Circuit Court of the
county of Princess Anne; one member from the county of Norfolk or the city of
South Norfolk who shall be appointed by the Judge of the Circuit Court of the
county of Norfolk; one member from the city of Hampton to be appointed by the
Senior Judge in time of service of the Courts of Records of the city of
Hampton; and one member from that portion of the consolidated city of Newport
News which formerly constituted the city of Warwick; and
one member from that portion of the consolidated city of Newport News which
formerly constituted the city of Newport News, each of whom shall be appointed
by the judges in banc of the Courts of Records of the said consolidated city of
Newport News; one member from the city of Norfolk who shall be appointed by the
Judge of the Corporation Court of the city of Norfolk; and one member from the
city of Portsmouth who shall be appointed by the Judge of The Court of Hustings
for the City of Portsmouth: (i) one member of the Commonwealth
Transportation Board, (ii) two members from Accomack County, (iii) two members
from Northampton County, (iv) one member from the City of Portsmouth, (v) one
member from the City of Chesapeake, (vi) one member from the City of Hampton,
(vii) one member from the City of Newport News, (viii) one member from the City
of Norfolk, and (ix) one member from the City of Virginia Beach. The
members of said Commission appointed under the provisions of this section shall
be residents of the counties or cities from which they are appointed and
may be appointed by the respective judges in term time or vacation.
The seven members of the Commission from the counties of Accomack,
Northampton and Princess Anne and the cities of Hampton, Warwick, Newport News
and Norfolk shall determine by lot the duration of their respective initial
terms of office which shall be for one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven
years, respectively, from May 14, 1954. The additional member appointed from
either the county of Accomack or the county of Northampton, the member
appointed from the county of Norfolk or the city of South Norfolk and the
member appointed from the city of Portsmouth shall serve for terms expiring on
May 14, 1957, May 14, 1958 and May 14, 1959, respectively. Thereafter the
appointments shall be for a period of five years, and in the event of a vacancy
occurring the court involved shall fill such vacancy for the unexpired term.
Any member of the Commission shall be eligible for reappointment.
Any member of the Commission appointed or reappointed on or after July 1, 1998, shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by each house of the General Assembly. Commission members shall be appointed to four-year terms. Any member of the Commission shall be eligible for reappointment to a second four-year term, but, except for appointments to fill vacancies for portions of unexpired terms, shall be ineligible for appointment to any additional term. When a vacancy in the membership occurs, the Governor shall appoint a new member to complete the unexpired portion of the term, subject to confirmation by each house of the General Assembly.
The Commission shall select a chairman annually from its membership. Within
thirty days after the appointment of the original members of the
Commission, the Commission shall meet on the call of any member and
elect one of its members as chairman and another as vice-chairman,
and. The Commission shall employ a secretary and treasurer (who may or
may not be a member of the Commission) and if not a member of the Commission,
fix his compensation and duties. Any member of the Commission may be removed
from office for cause by the court appointing him
Governor. Each member of the Commission, immediately following his
appointment, shall take an oath of office, prescribed by § 34
Article II, Section 7 of the Constitution of Virginia, before
any judge of any court of record in this State. No member of the Commission
shall receive any salary but shall be entitled to expenses and the per diem pay
allowed members of the Highway Commission Commonwealth
Transportation Board. Six members of the Commission shall constitute a
quorum. The records of the Commission shall be public records. The Commission
is authorized to do all things necessary or incidental to the performance of
its duties and the execution of its powers under this act. The route for any
bridge or tunnel or combination thereof, built by the Commission, shall be
selected, subject to the approval of the State Highway
Commission Commonwealth Transportation Board.
Notwithstanding any provisions of this Chapter, the present membership of
the Commission, as of March 6, 1956, shall not be enlarged before and until
July 1, 1957.