Virginia Law

A. The Art and Architectural Review Board (the Board) is established as an advisory board, within the meaning of § 2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government. The Board shall consist of seven voting members as follows: the Director of the Department of Historic Resources, or his designee, serving as an ex officio member and six citizen members, appointed by the Governor. Of the citizen members, one shall be an architect who may be appointed from a list of two or more architects nominated by the governing board of the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects; one may be appointed from a list of two or more persons nominated by the governing board of the University of Virginia; one shall be a member of the board of trustees of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; and three shall be appointed from the Commonwealth at large, one of whom shall be a painter or sculptor. Lists of nominees shall be submitted at least 60 days before the expiration of the member's term for which the nominations are being made in order to be considered by the Governor in making appointments pursuant to this section.

B. Following the initial staggering of terms, citizen members of the Board shall be appointed for terms of four years each, except appointments to fill vacancies, which shall be for the unexpired terms. No member shall serve for more than two consecutive four-year terms, except that any member appointed to the unexpired term of another shall be eligible to serve two consecutive four-year terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the manner of the original appointments. The Director of the Department of Historic Resources shall serve a term coincident with his term of office.

C. Annually, the Board shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman and may elect such other officers as the Board deems proper from among its membership. A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

D. The members of the Board shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties as provided in § 2.2-2825.

E. The Department of General Services shall provide assistance to the Board in the undertaking of its responsibilities.

F. The Board shall submit a biennial report to the Governor and General Assembly on or before October 1 of each even-numbered year.

Code 1919, § 581; 1922, p. 757; 1927, p. 106; 1932, p. 37; 1938, p. 724; Michie Code 1942, § 585(64); R.P. 1948, § 9-7; 1964, c. 234; 1975, c. 510; 1976, c. 484; 1978, c. 580, §§ 2.1-488.1, 2.1-488.6; 1979, c. 66; 1981, c. 221; 1984, c. 734, § 2.1-488.2:1; 1985, c. 448; 1989, c. 656; 2001, c. 844; 2004, c. 650; 2011, cc. 691, 714; 2020, c. 114.

A. The Governor may accept, in the name of the Commonwealth, gifts to the Commonwealth of works of art as defined in subsection B. But no work of art shall be so accepted until submitted to the Board or otherwise brought to its attention for its advice and counsel to the Governor.

B. As used in this article, "work of art" means all paintings, mural decorations, stained glass, statues, bas-reliefs, tablets, sculptures, monuments, fountains, arches or other structure of a permanent character intended for ornament or commemoration.

Code 1919, § 583; 1920, p. 51; Michie Code 1942, § 582a; R. P. 1948, §§ 9-10, 9-12; 1975, c. 514; 1978, c. 580, §§ 2.1-488.3, 2.1-488.5; 2001, c. 844.

A. No work of art shall become the property of the Commonwealth by purchase, gift or otherwise, unless the work of art or a design thereof, together with its proposed location, have been submitted to and approved by the Governor acting with the advice and counsel of the Board. Nor shall any work of art, until so submitted and approved, be contracted for, placed in or upon or allowed to extend over any property belonging to the Commonwealth. No existing work of art owned by the Commonwealth shall be removed, relocated or altered in any way without submission to the Governor.

This subsection shall not apply to any portrait, tablet or work of art portraying, or pertaining to, a present or former Governor and presented to, or acquired, by the Governor and displayed in that part of the building under the direct supervision of the Governor or a present or former presiding officer of the Senate or a member or former member of the Supreme Court, the Senate, or the House of Delegates, presented to, or acquired by, the member's or presiding officer's respective body and displayed in that part of any building under the direct supervision and jurisdiction of such body nor shall they apply to any portrait, tablet or work of art acquired by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts or museums operated in conjunction with art or architectural departments at public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth.

B. No construction or erection of any building or any appurtenant structure of any nature, which is to be placed on or allowed to extend over any property belonging to the Commonwealth, and no construction or erection of any bridge, arch, gate, fence, or other structure or fixture intended primarily for ornamental or memorial purposes, and which is to be paid for, either wholly or in part by appropriation from the state treasury, and, which is to be placed on or allowed to extend over any property belonging to the Commonwealth, shall be begun, unless the design and proposed location thereof have been submitted to the Governor and its artistic character approved in writing by him acting with the advice and counsel of the Board, unless the Governor has failed to disapprove in writing the design within 30 days after its submission. No existing structure of the kinds described in this subsection, owned by the Commonwealth, shall be removed, remodeled or added to, nor shall any appurtenant structure be attached without submission to the Governor and the artistic character of the proposed new structure approved in writing by him acting with the advice and counsel of the Board, unless the Governor has failed to disapprove in writing the design within 30 days after its submission.

C. No work of art not owned by the Commonwealth shall be placed in or upon or allowed to extend over any property belonging to the Commonwealth for a period of more than two years unless such work of art or a design thereof has been submitted to and approved by the Governor acting with the advice and counsel of the Board.

This subsection shall not apply to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts or museums operated in conjunction with art or architectural departments at public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth.

Code 1919, § 582; 1920, p. 393; 1942, p. 197; R. P. 1948, § 9-11; 1956, c. 223; 1970, c. 203; 1975, c. 514; 1978, c. 580, § 2.1-488.4; 2000, c. 551; 2001, c. 844.

Repealed by Acts 2003, cc. 981 and 1021.

Repealed by Acts 2011, cc. 594 and 681, cl. 2.

Repealed by Acts 2011, cc. 594 and 681, cl. 2.

Repealed by Acts 2001, cc. 520 and 806.

Repealed by Acts 2016, c. 40, cl. 2.

Repealed by Acts 2012, cc. 803 and 835, cl. 45.

A. The Treasury Board (the Board) is established as a policy board, within the meaning of § 2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government. The Board shall consist of seven members to be appointed as follows: four members to be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor; the State Treasurer, the Comptroller, and the Tax Commissioner. The members appointed by the Governor should have a background and experience in financial management and investments. The State Treasurer, the Comptroller, and the Tax Commissioner shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Vacancies shall be filled in the manner of the original appointment.

B. The State Treasurer shall act as the chairman, and the Board shall elect a secretary who need not be a member of the Board. The Board shall have regularly scheduled meetings at least six times per year and shall keep a regular and sufficient set of books, which include a record of all of their proceedings and any action taken by them with respect to any funds which by any provision of law are required to be administered by the Treasury Board. Four members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

C. Members of the Board appointed by the Governor shall receive reimbursement for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties as provided in § 2.2-2813.

Code 1950, § 2-149.1; 1966, c. 677, § 2.1-178; 1979, c. 215; 1984, c. 720; 1987, c. 601; 2001, c. 844; 2016, cc. 36, 72.

The Board shall have the power and duty to:

1. Exercise general supervision over all investments of state funds;

2. Give advice and supervision in the financing of state buildings and make recommendations, as requested, to the Governor on methods by which capital outlay requirements of the Commonwealth, including its agencies and institutions, may be financed;

3. Control and manage all sinking funds and other funds in possession of the Commonwealth in a fiduciary capacity;

4. Administer the Virginia Security for Public Deposits Act (§ 2.2-4400 et seq.);

5. Make recommendations to the Governor, notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary, on proposed bond issues or other financing arrangements; approve the terms and structure of bonds or other financing arrangements executed by or for the benefit of educational institutions and state agencies other than independent state authorities or covered institutions as defined in § 23.1-1000, including bonds, public-private partnerships, or other financing arrangements executed by private foundations for housing or other capital projects with respect to which an educational institution that is not a covered institution as defined in § 23.1-1000 is obligated to provide financial or other types of support, and including bonds or other financing arrangements secured by leases, lease purchase agreements, financing leases, capital leases, or other similar agreements; and approve agreements relating to the sale of bonds. Such recommendations to the Governor shall be reported to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the House Committee on Appropriations;

6. Take or cause to be taken and omit to take all actions as to any tax exempt bonds for which it has issuing authority, either by statute or by act of the General Assembly, the taking or omission of which is necessary on behalf of the Commonwealth to prevent such bonds from being or becoming subject to federal income taxation or being considered to be "arbitrage bonds" within the meaning of federal tax laws, including compliance with the arbitrage rebate provisions thereof;

7. Approve, notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary, the terms and structure of bonds or other financing arrangements executed by or for the benefit of state agencies, boards, and authorities where debt service payments on such bonds or other financing arrangements are expected by such agency, board, or authority to be made, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from appropriations of the Commonwealth, including bonds or other financing arrangements secured by leases, lease purchase agreements, financing leases, capital leases or other similar agreements, and agreements relating to the sale of bonds;

8. Establish debt structuring guidelines for bonds or other financing arrangements executed by or for the benefit of all state agencies, institutions, boards, and authorities where the debt service payments on such bonds or other financing arrangements are expected to be made, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from appropriations of the Commonwealth, in which guidelines the Board may, in its sole discretion, include such items as it deems necessary and appropriate, including, but not limited to, defining terms such as "terms and structure" and "bonds and other financing arrangements" and exempting from its review and approval pursuant to subdivision 5 or 7 (i) specific bond issues and other financing arrangements, (ii) certain types or classes of bond issues and other financing arrangements, and (iii) bond issues and other financing arrangements that are below a stated dollar amount;

9. Do all acts and things necessary or convenient to efficiently carry out and enforce the powers granted to and duties imposed on it by law, including delegating to the State Treasurer or to a committee composed of not less than three members of the Board such powers and duties, as it deems proper, to the extent designated and permitted by the Board;

10. Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties conferred or imposed upon it by law, including the local government investment pool authorized by Chapter 46 (§ 2.2-4600 et seq.); and

11. Do all acts and things necessary or convenient to wind up the affairs of, and protect the Commonwealth's interests in, such matters that may survive the termination of the State Education Assistance Authority, the Virginia Student Assistance Authorities, and the Virginia Education Loan Authority. Nothing herein shall be construed to amend, enhance, or otherwise alter such commitments, security interests, guarantees, or other pledges entered into by the State Education Assistance Authority, the Virginia Student Assistance Authorities, and the Virginia Education Loan Authority, acting in their official capacity and effective on or before March 31, 1997.

Code 1950, § 2-149.2; 1966, c. 677, § 2.1-179; 1979, c. 215; 1984, c. 720; 1987, cc. 210, 211, 242; 1988, c. 258; 1990, c. 712; 1991, c. 578; 1996, cc. 636, 656; 1998, cc. 39, 784; 2001, c. 844; 2023, cc. 161, 162.

A. The Board, or its designee, shall review and approve the financial terms of all contracts for the purchase or financing of the purchase by agencies, institutions, boards and authorities which receive appropriations from the Commonwealth, i.e., the using agencies, of personal property, including personal property to be affixed to realty, whether by lease-purchase, installment purchase or otherwise, where payment of the purchase price is deferred through installment payments, includes the payment of interest, or is otherwise financed by the seller, lessor, or third parties.

B. The Board may specifically exempt from its review and approval specific purchases, and purchases below a stated amount, and may adopt regulations governing the financial terms of contracts, as described in subsection A, including but not limited to the authority to negotiate with a seller or lessor the public or private sale of securities, the security interest which may be granted to a seller or lessor, and the types and value of property which may be acquired under such contracts. Approval of the Board or its designee and compliance with regulations adopted pursuant to this section shall be required in addition to and notwithstanding any other provision of law pertaining to the review, approval or award of contracts by agencies and institutions of the Commonwealth.

C. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing and except as the Board shall direct and authorize otherwise, every using agency shall procure through the Board all contracts for the financing of the purchases described in subsection A or other financial services needed for the purpose of financing such purchases. The Board may acquire such financing services, including, but is not limited to employing financial advisors and private or public placement agents.

D. An agency, institution, board, or authority which receives appropriations from the Commonwealth shall procure state agency energy efficiency projects under this section. State agency energy efficiency projects may include personal property, the installation or modification of an installation in a building, and professional, management, and other special services which are primarily intended to reduce energy consumption and demand, or allow the use of an alternative energy source, and which may contain integral control and measurement devices.

1986, c. 280, § 2.1-179.2; 1987, c. 613; 1991, c. 578; 1994, c. 231; 2001, c. 844.

Whenever the General Assembly has enacted legislation pursuant to Article X, Section 9 (b), (c), or (d) of the Constitution of Virginia authorizing the issuance of bonds for capital projects of the Commonwealth or any state agency, institution, board, or authority (a "state instrumentality") where debt service payments on the bonds are expected to be made in whole or in part from appropriations of the Commonwealth, the Board, with the consent of the Governor, may borrow money in anticipation of the issuance of the bonds to provide funds, with any other available funds, to pay the costs of acquiring, constructing, renovating, enlarging, improving, and equipping any one or more of the capital projects for which such bonds have been authorized. Any such borrowing shall be evidenced by notes of the Commonwealth that shall be in such form, shall be executed in such manner, shall bear interest at such rates, either at fixed rates or at rates established by formula or other method, and may contain such other provisions, all as the Board, or the State Treasurer when authorized by the Board, may determine. Such notes may bear interest at a rate subject to inclusion in gross income for federal income tax purposes as determined by the Board, with the consent of the Governor. Such notes may be made payable from the proceeds of the bonds, other notes, or other sources of funds authorized by the General Assembly. The proceeds of the notes, to the extent not required to pay the principal or interest on maturing notes, or expenses associated therewith, shall be paid or otherwise made available to the Commonwealth or appropriate state instrumentality to pay the costs of such capital projects. However, the undertaking and obligation of (i) the Board to make such note proceeds available to the state instrumentality and (ii) the state instrumentality to pay or provide for the payment of the interest and principal coming due on the notes and to issue its own bonds or otherwise retire the notes within five years of the date of their initial issuance shall be set forth in a written agreement between the Board and the state instrumentality. No such notes shall be issued by the Board for or on behalf of a state instrumentality unless the Board first determines that such written agreement provides reasonable assurance of the full and timely payment of the debt service on the notes.

No law authorizing the issuance of bonds and notes for which bond anticipation notes have been issued by the Board shall be repealed or otherwise vitiated without first providing for the payment of the related bond anticipation notes of the Board.

1991, c. 554, § 2.1-179.3; 1996, cc. 636, 656; 2001, c. 844.

The Board may, with the consent of the Governor, sell and issue refunding bonds of the Commonwealth to refund any or all of the Commonwealth's bonds or other debt. The aggregate principal amount of such refunding bonds shall not exceed the amount required to redeem or otherwise provide for the payment of the unpaid principal of and interest on and any redemption premium payable on the bonds to be refunded to their date of redemption or payment, plus all expenses incurred in such refunding transaction.

1996, cc. 636, 656, § 2.1-179.4; 2001, c. 844.

Bonds and notes issued by the Board may be issued and sold at the same time with other bonds and notes issued by the Board either as separate issues, a combined issue, or a combination of both.

1996, cc. 636, 656, § 2.1-179.5; 2001, c. 844.

Repealed by Acts 2003, cc. 657 and 670.

A. The Virginia Geographic Information Network Advisory Board (the Board) is hereby established as an advisory board, within the meaning of § 2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government. The Board shall advise the Geographic Information Network Division (the Division) of the Department of Emergency Management on issues related to the exercise of the Division's powers and duties.

B. The Board shall consist of 19 members appointed as follows: nine nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor that consist of one agency director from one of the natural resources agencies, one official from a baccalaureate public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth, one elected official representing a local government in the Commonwealth, one member of the Virginia Association of Surveyors, one representative of a utility or transportation industry utilizing geographic data, two representatives of private businesses with expertise and experience in the establishment, operation, and maintenance of geographic information systems, and two county, city, town, or regional government geographic information system (GIS) directors or managers representing diverse regions of the Commonwealth; four members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; two members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; the Chief Information Officer, the State Coordinator of Emergency Management, the Commissioner of Highways, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Economic Development Partnership Authority or their designees who shall serve as ex officio, voting members. Gubernatorial appointees may be nonresidents of the Commonwealth. All members of the Board appointed by the Governor shall be confirmed by each house of the General Assembly. The agency director and official from a baccalaureate public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth appointed by the Governor may each designate a member of his organization as an alternate who may attend meetings in his place and be counted as a member of the Board for the purposes of a quorum.

Any members of the Board who are representatives of private businesses that provide geographic information services, and their companies, are precluded from contracting to provide goods or services to the Division.

C. Legislative members' terms shall be coincident with their terms of office. Following the initial staggering of terms, the gubernatorial appointees to the Board shall serve five-year terms, except for the two GIS directors or managers, who shall serve two-year terms. Members appointed by the Governor shall serve no more than two consecutive five-year terms, except the two GIS directors or managers shall serve no more than two consecutive two-year terms. Vacancies occurring other than by expiration of a term shall be filled for the unexpired term. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. The remainder of any term to which a member is appointed to fill a vacancy shall not constitute a term in determining the member's eligibility to serve.

D. The Board shall elect from its membership a chairman, vice-chairman, and any other officers deemed necessary. The duties and terms of the officers shall be prescribed by the members. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum. The Board shall meet at least quarterly or at the call of its chairman or the State Coordinator of Emergency Management.

E. Legislative members of the Board shall receive such compensation as provided in § 30-19.12 and nonlegislative citizen members shall receive such compensation as provided in § 2.2-2813 for their services. All members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. Funding for the costs of compensation and expenses of the members shall be provided by the Virginia Geographic Information Network Division of the Department of Emergency Management.

F. The Geographic Information Network Division shall provide staff support to the Board.

1997, c. 817, § 2.1-563.41; 1999, cc. 412, 421, 433; 2001, c. 844; 2003, cc. 981, 1021; 2004, c. 1000; 2010, c. 869; 2014, c. 283; 2020, cc. 36, 175, 423.

Repealed by 2018, c. 697, cl. 2.

Repealed by Acts 2012, cc. 803 and 835, cl. 58.

Repealed by Acts 2012, cc. 803 and 835, cl. 5.

Repealed by Acts 2003, cc. 657 and 670.

Repealed by Acts 2003, cc. 657 and 670.

Expired.

The Virginia-Asian Advisory Board (the Board) is hereby established as an advisory board within the meaning of § 2.2-2100 in the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the Board shall be to advise the Governor on ways to improve economic and cultural links between the Commonwealth and Asian nations, with a focus on the areas of commerce and trade, art and education, and general government, and on issues affecting the Asian-American communities in the Commonwealth.

2001, c. 566, § 9-400; 2004, cc. 971, 1005.

The Board shall consist of 26 members to be appointed by the Governor as follows: 21 citizen members who shall represent business, education, the arts, and government, at least 15 of whom shall be of Asian descent; and the Secretaries of Commerce and Trade, the Commonwealth, Education, Health and Human Resources, and Public Safety and Homeland Security, or their designees, to serve as ex officio members of the Board.

Following the initial staggering of terms, citizen members shall serve for terms of four years. Vacancies occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled for the unexpired term. No nonlegislative citizen member shall serve more than two consecutive four-year terms. The remainder of any term to which a member is appointed to fill a vacancy shall not constitute a term in determining the member's eligibility for reappointment. The Secretaries of Commerce and Trade, the Commonwealth, Education, Health and Human Resources, and Public Safety and Homeland Security, or their designees, shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office.

The members of the Board shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman annually.

Members shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses in accordance with § 2.2-2823.

2001, c. 566, § 9-401; 2012, c. 502; 2017, c. 395; 2020, c. 57.

The Board shall:

1. Undertake studies and gather information and data in order to accomplish its purposes as set forth in § 2.2-2448, and to formulate and present its recommendations to the Governor.

2. Apply for, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from public, quasi-public or private sources, including any matching funds as may be designated in the Appropriation Act, to enable it to better carry out its purposes.

3. Report annually its findings and recommendations to the Governor. The Board may make interim reports to the Governor as it deems advisable.

4. Account annually on its fiscal activities, including any matching funds received or expended by the Board.

2001, c. 566, § 9-402.

The Office of the Governor shall serve as staff to the Board. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall assist the Board upon request.

2001, c. 566, § 9-403.

A. The Board of Veterans Services (the Board) is established as a policy board, within the meaning of § 2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government. The Board shall have a total membership of 26 members, including seven legislative members, 15 nonlegislative citizen members, and four ex officio members. Members shall be appointed as follows: four members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; three members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and 15 nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor. The Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Services, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Veterans Services Foundation, the Chairman of the Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations, and the Chairman of the Virginia War Memorial Foundation, or their designees, shall serve ex officio with full voting privileges. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Board shall be citizens of the Commonwealth.

In making appointments, the Governor shall endeavor to ensure a balanced geographical representation on the Board, while at the same time selecting appointees of such qualifications and experience as will allow them to develop reasonable and effective policy recommendations related to (i) the services provided to veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States and their eligible spouses, orphans, and dependents by the Department of Veterans Services and (ii) the mission of the Virginia War Memorial.

Legislative members and the Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Services shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of four years. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. All members may be reappointed. However, no House member shall serve more than six consecutive two-year terms, and no Senate member shall serve more than three consecutive four-year terms. No nonlegislative citizen member shall serve more than two consecutive four-year terms; however, a nonlegislative citizen member appointed to serve an unexpired term is eligible to serve two consecutive four-year terms immediately succeeding such unexpired term.

The remainder of any term to which a member is appointed to fill a vacancy shall not constitute a term in determining the member's eligibility for reappointment. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.

B. The Board shall select a chairman and vice-chairman from its membership. The Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Services shall not be eligible to serve as chairman. The Board shall meet at least three times a year at such times as it deems appropriate or on call of the chairman. A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

C. The Board shall organize itself in such a way as to allow it to fulfill its powers and duties.

D. The Department of Veterans Services shall provide staff to assist the Board in its administrative, planning, and procedural duties.

2003, cc. 657, 670; 2004, c. 697; 2005, c. 758; 2008, cc. 467, 768; 2010, c. 64; 2012, cc. 33, 162; 2015, c. 319; 2017, cc. 89, 501; 2019, cc. 40, 204.

Legislative members of the Board shall receive such compensation as provided in § 30-19.12, and nonlegislative citizen members shall receive such compensation as provided in § 2.2-2813 for the performance of their duties. All members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. Funding for the costs of compensation and expenses of the members shall be provided by the Department of Veterans Services.

2003, cc. 657, 670; 2004, c. 1000.

The Board shall have the power and duty to:

1. Advise and make recommendations to the Commissioner of Veterans Services upon such matters as may arise in the performance of his duties;

2. Investigate issues related to the provision of care and services to veterans, upon request of the Commissioner of Veterans Services or the Governor;

3. Study all matters affecting the welfare of Virginia citizens who are veterans or dependents or survivors of such veterans, and make recommendations to the Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Services;

4. Develop recommendations for policies and procedures related to the efficient and effective delivery of the services provided by the Department of Veterans Services;

5. Establish policies related to the coordinated delivery of veterans services, in consultation with those agencies, entities, and organizations, including counties, cities, towns or other political subdivisions of the Commonwealth capable of providing such services;

6. Monitor the administration of all laws concerning veterans and their dependents;

7. Review and advise the Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Services on the Department's strategic plan;

8. Based on rigorous cost-benefit-value analysis, provide recommendations to the Department of Veterans Services regarding future projects and the acquisition of facilities that may benefit the State's veterans, including but not limited to veterans cemeteries and veterans care centers; and

9. Provide recommendations to the Department of Veterans Services and the Veterans Services Foundation created in § 2.2-2715 regarding gifts, grants, and other resources from public and private entities and organizations to support veterans services.

2003, cc. 657, 670.

A. The Charitable Gaming Board (the Board) is hereby established as an advisory board within the meaning of § 2.2-2100 in the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the Board is to advise the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services on all aspects of the conduct of charitable gaming in Virginia.

B. The Board shall consist of nine members who shall be appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation by the General Assembly as follows: one member who is a member of a charitable organization subject to Article 1.1:1 (§ 18.2-340.15 et seq.) of Chapter 8 of Title 18.2 in good standing with the Department; one member who is a charitable gaming supplier registered and in good standing with the Department; one member who is an owner, lessor, or lessee of premises where charitable gaming is conducted; at least one member who is or has been a law-enforcement officer in Virginia but who (i) is not a charitable gaming supplier registered with the Department, (ii) is not a lessor of premises where charitable gaming is conducted, (iii) is not a member of a charitable organization, or (iv) does not have an interest in or is not affiliated with such supplier or charitable organization or owner, lessor, or lessee of premises where charitable gaming is conducted; and five citizens who do not have an interest in or are not affiliated with a charitable organization, charitable gaming supplier, or owner, lessor, or lessee of premises where charitable gaming is conducted.

To the extent practicable, the Board shall consist of individuals from different geographic regions of the Commonwealth. Each member of the Board shall have been a resident of the Commonwealth for a period of at least three years next preceding his appointment, and his continued residency shall be a condition of his tenure in office. Members shall be appointed for four-year terms. Vacancies shall be filled by the Governor in the same manner as the original appointment for the unexpired portion of the term. Each Board member shall be eligible for reappointment for a second consecutive term at the discretion of the Governor. Persons who are first appointed to initial terms of less than four years shall thereafter be eligible for reappointment to two consecutive terms of four years each. No sitting member of the General Assembly shall be eligible for appointment to the Board. The members of the Board shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.

C. The Board shall elect from among its members a chairman and vice-chairman from among its members.

D. A quorum shall consist of five members. The decision of a majority of those members present and voting shall constitute a decision of the Board.

E. For each day or part thereof spent in the performance of his duties, each member of the Board shall receive such compensation and reimbursement for his reasonable expenses as provided in § 2.2-2104.

F. The Board shall adopt rules and procedures for the conduct of its business, including a provision that Board members shall abstain or otherwise recuse themselves from voting on any matter in which they or a member of their immediate family have a personal interest in a transaction as defined in § 2.2-3101. The Board shall meet at least four times a year, and other meetings may be held at any time or place determined by the Board or upon call of the chairman or upon a written request to the chairman by any two members. Except for emergency meetings, all members shall be duly notified of the time and place of any regular or other meeting at least 10 days in advance of such meeting.

G. Staff to the Board shall be provided by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

2003, c. 884; 2008, cc. 387, 689; 2015, c. 755; 2018, c. 55; 2022, cc. 554, 597, 609.

The Board shall:

1. Advise the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services on the conduct of charitable gaming in Virginia and recommend changes to Article 1.1:1 (§ 18.2-340.15 et seq.) of Chapter 8 of Title 18.2;

2. Advise on other matters related to charitable gaming that the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may request or the Board may deem necessary; and

3. Keep a complete and accurate record of its proceedings. A copy of such record and any other public records not exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.) shall be available for public inspection and copying during regular office hours at the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

2003, c. 884; 2008, cc. 387, 689; 2022, cc. 554, 609.

Repealed by Acts 2010, cc. 136 and 145, cl. 2, effective March 11, 2010.

A. The Latino Advisory Board (the Board) is established as an advisory board, within the meaning of § 2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government. The Board shall consist of 21 nonlegislative citizen members, at least 15 of whom shall be of Latino descent, who shall be appointed by the Governor and serve at his pleasure. In addition, the Secretaries of the Commonwealth, Commerce and Trade, Education, Health and Human Resources, Public Safety, and Transportation, or their designees shall serve as ex officio members without voting privileges. All members shall be residents of the Commonwealth.

B. After the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of four years. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired terms. No member shall be eligible to serve more than two successive four-year terms; however, after the expiration of the remainder of a term to which a member was appointed to fill a vacancy, two additional terms may be served by such member if appointed thereto.

C. The Board shall elect from its membership a chairman and vice-chairman. A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Meetings of the Board shall be held upon the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.

D. Members of the Board shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825.

2005, c. 636; 2020, c. 57.

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

1. Advise the Governor regarding the development of economic, professional, cultural, educational, and governmental links between the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Latino community in Virginia, and Latin America;

2. Undertake studies, symposiums, research, and factual reports to gather information to formulate and present recommendations to the Governor relative to issues of concern and importance to the Latino community in the Commonwealth; and

3. Advise the Governor as needed regarding any statutory, regulatory, or other issues of importance to the Latino community in the Commonwealth.

B. The Board may apply for, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from public or private sources to enable it to carry out its objectives.

2005, c. 636.

The Office of the Governor shall serve as staff to the Board. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall assist the Board upon request.

2005, c. 636.

Repealed by Acts 2013, c. 372, cl. 2.

Expired.

Repealed by Acts 2013, c. 234, cl. 2.

Expired.

As used in this article:

"Local workforce development board" means a local workforce development board established under § 107 of the WIOA.

"One stop" means a conceptual approach to service delivery intended to provide a single point of access for receiving a wide range of workforce development and employment services, either on-site or electronically, through a single system.

"One-stop center" means a physical site where employment and career services are provided, either on site or electronically, and access to career services, training services, and other partner program services are available for employers, employees, and job seekers.

"One-stop operator" means a single entity or consortium of entities that operate a one-stop center or centers. Operators may be public or private entities competitively selected by a local workforce board.

"WIOA" means the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-128).

2014, c. 815; 2015, cc. 275, 292, 435.

A. The Virginia Board of Workforce Development (the Board) is established as a policy board, within the meaning of § 2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the Board shall be to assist and advise the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Secretary of Labor in meeting workforce development needs in the Commonwealth through recommendation of policies and strategies to increase coordination and thus efficiencies of operation between all education and workforce programs with responsibilities and resources for employment, occupational training, and support connected to workforce credential and job attainment.

B. The Board shall consist of the following:

1. Two members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates and two members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. Legislative members shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office and may be reappointed for successive terms;

2. The Governor and his designee who shall be the Secretary of Labor or another cabinet-level official appointed to the Board;

3. The Secretaries of Commerce and Trade, Education, Health and Human Resources, Public Safety and Homeland Security, and Veterans and Defense Affairs, or their designees, each of whom shall serve ex officio;

4. The Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System or his designee, who shall serve ex officio; and

5. Additional members appointed by the Governor as are required to ensure that the composition of the Board satisfies the requirements of the WIOA. The additional members shall include:

a. Two local elected officials;

b. Eight members who shall be representatives of the workforce, to include (i) three representatives nominated by state labor federations, of which one shall be a representative of a joint-labor apprenticeship program, and (ii) at least one representative of a private career college; and

c. Nonlegislative citizen members representing businesses in the Commonwealth, the total number of whom shall constitute a majority of the members of the Board and who shall include the presidents of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the Virginia Manufacturers Association or their designees as well as business owners, chief executive officers, chief operating officers, chief financial officers, senior managers, or other business executives or employers with optimum policy-making or hiring authority who represent the Commonwealth's economic development priorities. Business members shall represent diverse regions of the state, to include urban, suburban, and rural areas, and at least two members shall also be members of local workforce development boards.

Nonlegislative citizen members may be nonresidents of the Commonwealth. Members appointed in accordance with this subdivision shall serve four-year terms, subject to the pleasure of the Governor, and may be reappointed.

C. The Governor shall select a chairman and vice-chairman, who shall serve two-year terms, from among nonlegislative citizen members representing the business community appointed in accordance with subdivision B 5 c. The Board shall meet at least every three months or upon the call of the chair or the Governor as stipulated by the Board's bylaws. The chairman and the vice-chairman shall select at least five members of the Board to serve as an executive committee of the Board, which shall have the limited purpose of establishing meeting agendas, reviewing bylaws and other documents pertaining to Board governance and operations, approving reports to the Governor, and responding to urgent federal, state, and local issues between scheduled Board meetings.

D. Compensation and reimbursement of expenses of the members shall be as follows:

1. Legislative members appointed in accordance with subdivision B 1 shall receive such compensation and reimbursement of expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813, 2.2-2825, and 30-19.12.

2. Ex officio members of the Board shall not receive compensation but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825.

3. Members of the Board appointed in accordance with subdivision B 5 shall not receive compensation but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825.

Funding for the costs of compensation and expenses of the members shall be provided from federal funds received under the WIOA.

2014, c. 815; 2015, cc. 275, 292; 2017, c. 265; 2020, c. 58; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 453.

A. Staffing for the Board and Board functions shall be supervised by the Secretary of Labor. Additional staff support, including staffing of standing committees, may include other directors or coordinators of relevant education and workforce programs as requested by the Secretary of Labor and as in-kind support to the Board from agencies administering workforce programs.

B. The Secretary of Labor shall direct agencies administering workforce programs to supply staff support to Board committees and other logistical support for the Board.

2015, cc. 275, 292; 2017, c. 265; 2020, c. 58; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 453.

A. The Board shall implement a Virginia Workforce System that shall undertake the following actions to implement and foster workforce development and training and better align education and workforce programs to meet current and projected skills requirements of an increasingly technological, global workforce:

1. Provide policy advice to the Governor on workforce and workforce development issues in order to create a business-driven system that yields increasing rates of attainment of workforce credentials in demand by business and increasing rates of jobs creation and attainment;

2. Provide policy direction to local workforce development boards;

3. Assist the Governor in the development, implementation, and modification of any combined state plan developed pursuant to the WIOA;

4. Identify current and emerging statewide workforce needs of the business community;

5. Forecast and identify training requirements for the new workforce;

6. Recommend strategies to match trained workers with available jobs to include strategies for increasing business engagement in education and workforce development;

7. Evaluate the extent to which the state's workforce development programs emphasize education and training opportunities that align with employers' workforce needs and labor market statistics and report the findings of this analysis to the Governor every two years;

8. Advise and oversee the development of a strategic workforce dashboard and tools that will inform the Governor, policy makers, system stakeholders, and the public on issues such as state and regional labor market conditions, the relationship between the supply and demand for workers, workforce program outcomes, and projected employment growth or decline. The Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, along with other workforce partners, shall provide data to populate the tools and dashboard;

9. Determine and publish a list of jobs, trades, and professions for which high demand for qualified workers exists or is projected by the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement. The Department of Workforce Development and Advancement shall support the Virginia Board of Workforce Development in making such determination. Such information shall be published biennially and disseminated to employers; education and training entities, including associate-degree-granting and baccalaureate public institutions of higher education; government agencies, including the Department of Education and public libraries; and other users in the public and private sectors;

10. Develop pay-for-performance contract strategy incentives for rapid reemployment services consistent with the WIOA as an alternative model to traditional programs;

11. Conduct a review of budgets, which shall be submitted annually to the Board by each agency conducting federal and state funded career and technical and adult education and workforce development programs, that identify the agency's sources and expenditures of administrative, workforce education and training, and support services for workforce development programs;

12. Review and recommend industry credentials that align with high demand occupations, which credentials shall include a credential that determines career readiness;

13. Define the Board's role in certifying WIOA training providers, including those not subject to the authority expressed in Article 3 (§ 23.1-213 et seq.) of Chapter 2 of Title 23.1;

14. Provide an annual report to the Governor concerning its actions and determinations under subdivisions 1 through 13;

15. Create quality standards, guidelines, and directives applicable to local workforce development boards and the operation of one-stops, as necessary and appropriate to carry out the purposes of this article;

16. Conduct or cause to be conducted, on a biennial basis, an independent evaluation of the operational and program objectives of the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement and submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly summarizing such evaluation; and

17. Perform any act or function in accordance with the purposes of this article.

B. The Board may establish such committees as it deems necessary

C. The Board, the Secretary of Labor, and the Governor's other Cabinet Secretaries shall assist the Governor in complying with the provisions of the WIOA and ensuring the coordination and effectiveness of all federal and state funded career and technical and adult education and workforce development programs and providers within Virginia's Workforce System.

D. The Board shall assist the Governor in the following areas with respect to workforce development: development of any combined state plan developed pursuant to the WIOA; development and continuous improvement of a statewide workforce development system that ensures career readiness and coordinates and aligns career and technical education, adult education, and federal and state workforce programs; development of linkages to ensure coordination and nonduplication among programs and activities; designation of local areas; development of local discretionary allocation formulas; development and continuous improvement of comprehensive state performance measures including, without limitation, performance measures reflecting the degree to which one-stop centers provide comprehensive services with all mandatory partners and the degree to which local workforce development boards have obtained funding from sources other than the WIOA; preparation of the annual report to the U.S. Secretary of Labor; development of a statewide employment statistics system; and development of a statewide system of one-stop centers that provide comprehensive workforce services to employers, employees, and job seekers.

The Board shall share information regarding its meetings and activities with the public.

E. Each local workforce development board shall develop and submit to the Governor and the Board an annual workforce demand plan for its workforce development board area based on a survey of local and regional businesses that reflects the local employers' needs and requirements and the availability of trained workers to meet those needs and requirements. Local boards shall also designate or certify one-stop operators; identify eligible providers of youth activities; develop a budget; conduct local oversight of one-stop operators and training providers in partnership with its local chief elected official; negotiate local performance measures, including incentives for good performance and penalties for inadequate performance; assist in developing statewide employment statistics; coordinate workforce development activities with economic development strategies and the annual demand plan, and develop linkages among them; develop and enter into memoranda of understanding with one-stop partners and implement the terms of such memoranda; promote participation by the private sector; actively seek sources of financing in addition to WIOA funds; report performance statistics to the Board; and certify local training providers in accordance with criteria provided by the Board. Further, a local training provider certified by any workforce development board has reciprocal certification for all workforce development boards.

F. Each workforce development board shall develop and execute a strategic plan designed to combine public and private resources to support sector strategies, career pathways, and career readiness skills development. Such initiatives shall include or address (i) a regional vision for workforce development; (ii) protocols for planning workforce strategies that anticipate industry needs; (iii) the needs of incumbent and underemployed workers in the region; (iv) the development of partners and guidelines for various forms of on-the-job training, such as registered apprenticeships; (v) the setting of standards and metrics for operational delivery; (vi) alignment of monetary and other resources, including private funds and in-kind contributions, to support the workforce development system; and (vii) the generation of new sources of funding to support workforce development in the region.

G. Local workforce development boards are encouraged to implement pay-for-performance contract strategy incentives for rapid reemployment services consistent within the WIOA as an alternative model to traditional programs. Such incentives shall focus on (i) partnerships that lead to placements of eligible job seekers in unsubsidized employment and (ii) placement in unsubsidized employment for hard-to-serve job seekers. At the discretion of the local workforce development board, funds to the extent permissible under §§ 128(b) and 133(b) of the WIOA may be allocated for pay-for-performance partnerships.

H. Each chief local elected official shall consult with the Governor regarding designation of local workforce development areas; appoint members to the local board in accordance with state criteria; serve as the local grant recipient unless another entity is designated in the local plan; negotiate local performance measures with the Governor; ensure that all mandated partners are active participants in the local workforce development board and one-stop center; and collaborate with the local workforce development board on local plans and program oversight.

I. Each local workforce development board shall develop and enter into a memorandum of understanding concerning the operation of the one-stop delivery system in the local area with each entity that carries out any of the following programs or activities:

1. Programs authorized under Title I of the WIOA;

2. Programs authorized under the Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. § 49 et seq.);

3. Adult education and literacy activities authorized under Title II of the WIOA;

4. Programs authorized under Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 720 et seq.);

5. Postsecondary career and technical education activities authorized under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq.);

6. Activities authorized under Chapter 2 of Title II of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. § 2271 et seq.);

7. Activities pertaining to employment and training programs for veterans authorized under 38 U.S.C. § 4100 et seq.;

8. Programs authorized under Title 60.2, in accordance with applicable federal law;

9. Workforce development activities or work requirements of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program known in Virginia as the Virginia Initiative for Education and Work (VIEW) established pursuant to § 63.2-608;

10. Workforce development activities or work programs authorized under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. § 2011 et seq.);

11. Other programs or activities as required by the WIOA; and

12. Programs authorized under Title I of the WIOA.

J. The quorum for a meeting of a local workforce development board shall consist of a majority of both the private sector and public sector members. Each local workforce development board shall share information regarding its meetings and activities with the public.

K. For the purposes of implementing the WIOA, income from service in the Virginia National Guard shall not disqualify unemployed service members from WIOA-related services.

L. The Secretary of Labor shall be responsible for the coordination of the Virginia Workforce System and the implementation of the WIOA.

2014, c. 815; 2015, cc. 191, 275, 292, 435; 2017, c. 265; 2018, c. 225; 2019, c. 210; 2020, c. 58; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 453; 2023, cc. 624, 625.

A. As used in this section, "regional convener" means the local workforce development board having responsibility for coordinating business, economic development, labor, regional planning commissions, education at all levels, and human services organizations to focus on community workforce issues and the development of solutions to current and prospective business needs for a skilled labor force at the regional level.

B. As a condition of receiving WIOA funds, each local workforce development board shall either be designated as the regional convener for the WIOA region or enter into a memorandum of agreement supporting the public or private entity identified as serving as the regional convener.

C. Each regional convener shall develop, in collaboration with other workforce development entities in the region, a local plan for employer engagement. The plan shall (i) specify the policies and protocols to be followed by all of the region's workforce development entities when engaging the region's employers, (ii) address how the region's workforce entities will involve employers in the formation of new workforce development initiatives, and (iii) identify what activities will be undertaken to address employers' specific workforce needs. Each region's plan should be reviewed by the Virginia Board of Workforce Development, and the board should recommend changes to the plans to ensure consistency across regions.

2015, cc. 275, 292.

A. Each local workforce development board shall allocate a minimum of 40 percent of WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker funds to training services as defined under § 134(c)(3)(D) of the WIOA that lead to recognized postsecondary education and workforce credentials aligned with in-demand industry sectors or occupations in the local area or region. Beginning October 1, 2016, and biannually thereafter, the Secretary of Labor shall submit a report to the Board evaluating the rate of the expenditure of WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker funds under this section.

B. Failure by a local workforce development board to meet the required training expenditure percentage requirement shall result in sanctions, to increase in severity for each year of noncompliance. These sanctions may include corrective action plans; ineligibility to receive state-issued awards, additional WIOA incentives, or sub-awards; the recapturing and reallocation of a percentage of the local area board's Adult and Dislocated Worker funds; or for boards with recurring noncompliance, development of a reorganization plan through which the Governor would appoint and certify a new local board.

C. The Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, in consultation with the Governor, shall develop a formula providing for 30 percent of WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker funds reserved by the Governor for statewide activities to be used solely for providing incentives to postsecondary workforce training institutions through local workforce development boards to accelerate the increase of workforce credential attainment by participants. Fiscal incentive awards provided under this section must be expended on training activities that lead participants to a postsecondary education or workforce credential that is aligned with in-demand industry sectors or occupations within each local workforce area. Apprenticeship-related instruction shall be included as a qualifying training under this subsection if such instruction is provided through a postsecondary education institution.

2015, cc. 275, 292; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 453; 2024, c. 507.

A. As used in this section, "opportunity youth" means individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 who are (i) homeless, in foster care, or involved in the justice system or (ii) neither gainfully employed nor enrolled in an educational institution.

B. Local workforce development boards, in consultation with local chief elected officials; secondary and postsecondary education institutions, business leaders, and local community organizations, including youth organizations, shall develop focused strategies for engaging opportunity youth and placing them on pathways to education, training, and careers. The key focus of the strategy shall be actions that lead to retention, credential attainment, and gainful employment.

C. Each local workforce development board shall develop a strategic plan that includes performance measures for evaluating results of the implementation of the strategies developed pursuant to subsection B. The plan shall be submitted to the Secretary of Labor annually on or before November 30.

2019, c. 593; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 453.

A. Regional workforce training centers shall be established at institutions within the Virginia Community College System in the Peninsula, Southside, Central Virginia, and Western Tidewater regions to assist the Board in (i) coordinating specific high-skill training, (ii) developing industry standards and related curricula, and (iii) providing skills assessments.

B. The Virginia Community College System shall evaluate other regional workforce center locations and recommend to the Board their establishment as such needs are identified. The Virginia Community College System shall support regional workforce training centers created by the Regional Competitiveness Act (§ 15.2-1306 et seq.) in which community colleges participate.

C. Approved noncredit workforce training programs offered by community colleges may receive general fund support as provided in the appropriation act.

2014, c. 815.

Workforce training students at local community college boards and public institutions of higher education may be required to pay facility use and equipment rental fees beyond regular tuition charges for workforce training programs requiring specialized facilities or equipment. Such fees shall either be paid by such students directly to the provider of the facility or equipment or to the college for reimbursement to such provider. The fees shall be no more than the normal fees charged to the general public for the same or similar facilities or equipment. The nature of each fee authorized by this section shall be described in course schedules. All fees authorized by this section shall be reported annually to the Virginia Community College System and public institutions' boards.

2014, c. 815.

Trade secrets that a nonpublic body submits as an offeror in connection with a proposed workforce training program shall not be subject to disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.). However, such offeror shall (i) invoke the protections of this section prior to or upon submission of the data or other materials, (ii) identify the data or other materials to be protected, and (iii) state the reasons why protection is necessary.

2014, c. 815.

A. To facilitate the employment of residents of the Commonwealth, to provide a qualified and competent workforce for Virginia's employers, and to promote the industrial and economic development of the Commonwealth, which purposes are declared and determined to be public purposes, there is created the Workforce Training Access Program, to be administered by the Secretary of Finance as provided in this section.

B. From such funds as are appropriated for this purpose and from such gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds as may be received on its behalf, there is created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Workforce Training Access Fund, hereafter referred to as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund.

The assets of the Fund shall be reserved, invested, and expended solely pursuant to and for the purposes of this section and shall not be expended or otherwise transferred or used by the Commonwealth for any other purpose. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the Secretary of Finance only as a guaranty of payment of workforce training loans made by a national student loan marketing association pursuant to the provisions of this section.

C. The Secretary of Finance is authorized to enter into an agreement with a national student loan marketing association that shall originate, fund, and service workforce training loans in accordance with the provisions of this section to persons enrolled in workforce training courses and programs that the Virginia Board of Workforce Development has certified to be responding to the technology needs of business and industry in the Commonwealth pursuant to § 2.2-2472.

The terms and conditions of such workforce training loans shall be consistent with market conditions and shall provide a repayment sufficient to amortize the cost of the training over its expected useful life, not to exceed 60 months. No person may receive a workforce training loan or loans that would result in that person owing an outstanding amount in excess of the tuition and required fees for the certified workforce training course or program in which such person participates.

Only persons (i) who have established domicile in Virginia, as provided in § 23.1-502 or (ii) who are employed in Virginia and whose employers make loan repayments directly by payroll deduction or tuition assistance, before providing for the training needs of other students in such certified courses, shall be eligible to receive workforce training loans. Nothing herein shall be construed to impose an obligation upon an employer to make loan payments or to continue tuition assistance after termination of the student's employment.

Consistent with Article VIII, Sections 10 and 11 of the Constitution of Virginia, the assets of the Fund shall be pledged as a guaranty of payment of workforce training loans made by such national student loan marketing association and may be expended in satisfaction of the guaranty obligations incurred thereby. Neither the Commonwealth nor any of its agencies, political subdivisions, or employees shall have any other or further liability in connection with such workforce training loans.

The agreement shall provide for annual evaluation by such national student loan marketing association and the Secretary of Finance, or his designee, of the aggregate unpaid amount of workforce training loans that such national student loan marketing association shall make available hereunder. Such association shall agree to make available workforce training loans in an aggregate unpaid amount of not less than five times the amount of all cash, cash equivalents, investments, and other assets that would then be available in the Fund.

D. If such association ceases to make workforce training loans available as provided under the agreement, the Fund shall revert to the general fund of the Commonwealth, free of the restrictions imposed by this section, after payment of or provision for any outstanding obligations that the Fund guarantees.

2014, c. 815.

A. There is created the Virginia Career Readiness Certificate Program (the Program) to certify the workplace and college readiness skills of Virginians, in order to better prepare them for continued education and workforce training, successful employment, and career advancement.

B. The Program may be offered through public high schools, community colleges, one-stop centers, technical centers, vocation rehabilitation centers, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice, institutions of higher education, and any other appropriate institutions as determined by the Virginia Board of Workforce Development.

C. The Program shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. A multilevel Career Readiness Certificate and related pre-instructional assessment tool to quantify an individual's level of proficiency in the following measurable work-ready skills: (i) reading, (ii) applied math, (iii) locating information, and (iv) any additional skills necessary to meet business and industry skill demand;

2. Targeted instruction and remediation skills training to address those work-ready skills in which the individual is not proficient as measured by the pre-instructional assessment tool designed to meet identified specific skill needs of local employers;

3. A Career Readiness Certificate awarded to individuals upon successful attainment of work-ready skills as documented by the assessment tool; and

4. A statewide online data system to serve as the repository for Career Readiness Certificate attainment data. The system shall (i) serve as the administrative tool to administer and help promote the Program; (ii) incorporate online services that enable employers to search individual Career Readiness Certificate data to determine skill levels and locate certified individuals in the state or a region; and (iii) incorporate online services that offer individuals tools for career exploration, continued education opportunities, job-readiness practice, and job search capabilities. The Virginia Board of Workforce Development shall seek to ensure the confidentiality of individual Career Readiness Certificate recipients. This shall include provisions for individuals, except for employer-sponsored individuals, to opt in and opt out of the statewide online data system at any test occurrence. Additionally, the provisions of §§ 2.2-3800 through 2.2-3803 shall be considered in individual confidentiality protections adopted by the Virginia Board of Workforce Development.

D. The Board, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall develop policies and guidelines necessary to implement and administer the Program.

E. The Board shall report Program outcomes to the Governor and the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, Senate Education and Health Committee, House Committee on Labor and Commerce, and House Education Committee of the General Assembly by December 1 of each year. The report shall make recommendations for improving the program, including funding recommendations.

2014, c. 815.

The Advisory Board on Service and Volunteerism (the Board) is established as an advisory board, within the meaning of § 2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government to advise the Governor and Cabinet Secretaries on matters related to promotion and development of national service in the Commonwealth and to meet the provisions of the federal National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993.

2015, cc. 26, 452.

A. The Board shall consist of no more than 20 nonlegislative citizen members, to be appointed by the Governor from the Commonwealth at large. Nonlegislative citizen members appointed to the Board shall be selected for their knowledge of, background in, or experience with the community and volunteer services sector and in accordance with guidelines provided in the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993. The Governor may appoint additional persons, at his discretion, as nonvoting members.

B. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for terms of three years. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired terms. No nonlegislative citizen member shall be eligible to serve more than two successive three-year terms; however, after the expiration of the remainder of a term to which a member was appointed to fill a vacancy, two additional terms may be served by such member if appointed thereto.

C. The voting members of the Board shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman annually from among its membership. A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. The Board shall meet no more than six times per year. The meetings of the Board shall be held at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.

2015, cc. 26, 452; 2017, c. 395; 2018, c. 455.

Members shall receive no compensation for their services. However, all members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. Funding for the costs of compensation and expenses of the members shall be provided by the Department of Social Services in accordance with federal law.

2015, cc. 26, 452.

The Board shall have the power and duty to:

1. Advise the Governor, the Secretaries of Health and Human Resources, Education, and Natural and Historic Resources, the Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness, the State Board of Social Services, and other appropriate officials on national and community service programs in Virginia in order to (i) fulfill the responsibilities and duties prescribed by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service and (ii) develop, implement, and evaluate the Virginia State Service Plan, which outlines strategies for supporting and expanding national and community service throughout the Commonwealth.

2. Promote the use of AmeriCorps programs to meet Virginia's most pressing human, educational, environmental, and public safety needs.

3. Collaborate with the Department of Social Services and other public and private entities to recognize and call attention to the significant community service contributions of Virginia citizens and organizations.

4. Assist the Department of Social Services to promote the involvement of faith-based organizations in community and national service efforts.

5. Submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports. The chairman of the Board shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Board no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted for publication as a report document 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.

2015, cc. 26, 452; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 401.

The Department of Social Services and any other executive branch agencies as the Governor may designate shall serve as staff to the Board. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall assist the Board upon request.

2015, cc. 26, 452.

Repealed by Acts 2018, c. 455, cl. 2.

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Board" means the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board.

"Fund" means the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Fund.

"Qualifying region" means a region with a regional council.

"Region" means one or more planning districts or otherwise defined areas designated as a region by the Board for the purpose of administering grants provided pursuant to this article.

"Regional activity" means an economic or workforce development-focused collaborative project or program that is (i) endorsed by a regional council, (ii) consistent with the economic growth and diversification plan developed by the regional council, and (iii) carried out, performed on behalf of, or contracted for by two or more localities, political subdivisions, or public bodies corporate and politic within a region.

"Regional council" means a public body certified by the Board as eligible to receive grants pursuant to this article and that is supported by or affiliated with an existing or newly established organization that engages in collaborative planning or execution of economic or workforce development activities within a region.

2016, cc. 778, 779.

A. The Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board is established as a policy board in the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the Board is to promote collaborative regional economic and workforce development opportunities and activities.

B. The Board shall have a total membership of 25 members that shall consist of seven legislative members, 14 nonlegislative citizen members, and four ex officio members. Members shall be appointed as follows: four members of the House of Delegates, consisting of the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations and three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; three members of the Senate, consisting of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and two members appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; two nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, who shall be from different regions of the Commonwealth and have significant private-sector business experience; two nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, who shall be from different regions of the Commonwealth and have significant private-sector business experience; two nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor, who shall be from different regions of the Commonwealth and have significant private-sector business experience; and eight nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor, subject to the confirmation of the General Assembly, who shall have significant private-sector business experience. Of the Governor's nonlegislative citizen appointments subject to General Assembly confirmation, no more than two appointees may be from any one region of the Commonwealth. The Speaker of the House of Delegates and the Senate Committee on Rules shall submit a list of recommended nonlegislative citizens with significant private-sector business experience for the Governor to consider in making his nonlegislative citizen appointments. The Governor shall also appoint four Secretaries from the following, who shall serve ex officio with voting privileges: the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Finance. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be citizens of the Commonwealth.

C. Legislative members and ex officio members of the Board shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. After the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of four years. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. No House member appointed by the Speaker of the House shall serve more than four consecutive two-year terms, no Senate member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules shall serve more than two consecutive four-year terms, and no nonlegislative citizen member shall serve more than two consecutive four-year terms. The remainder of any term to which a member is appointed to fill a vacancy shall not constitute a term in determining the member's eligibility for reappointment.

D. The Board shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership. The chairman shall be a nonlegislative citizen member. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum.

E. Any decision by the Board shall require an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board.

F. Legislative members of the Board shall receive such compensation as provided in § 30-19.12, and nonlegislative citizen members shall receive compensation as provided in § 2.2-2813 for the performance of their duties. All members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825.

G. Staff support and technical assistance to the Board and the Governor in carrying out the provisions of this article shall be provided by the agencies of the Secretariats of Commerce and Trade, Education, and Finance.

2016, cc. 778, 779; 2020, c. 738; 2024, cc. 276, 624.

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

1. Designate regions for the purpose of administering this article;

2. Certify qualifying regions and regional councils, including developing and implementing guidelines or procedures for such certification;

3. Develop and implement guidelines and procedures for the application for and use of any moneys in the Fund;

4. Receive and assess applications for awards from the Fund submitted by regional councils and determine the distribution, duration, and termination of awards from the Fund for uses identified in such applications;

5. Advise the Governor on the allocation and prioritization of other funds available within the executive branch that may be used to promote economic and workforce development on a regional basis;

6. Advise the Governor on the provision of technical assistance regarding the organization and operation of regional councils, the preparation of applications for Fund awards, and the development, validation, and assessment of regional economic growth and diversification plans and regional activities that receive grants from the Fund;

7. Provide for the collection and dissemination of information concerning local, state, national, and other best practices related to collaborative regional economic and workforce development initiatives that focus on private-sector growth and opportunity;

8. Designate advisory committees with expertise in the industries or clusters around which grant requests are proposed to assist in carrying out the Board's duties;

9. Seek independent analytical assistance from outside consultants, including post-grant assessments and reviews to evaluate the results and outcomes of grants awarded pursuant to this article;

10. Enter into contracts to provide services to regional councils to assist with prioritization, analysis, planning, and implementation of regional activities;

11. Submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual report for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports. The chairman shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Board no later than December 1. The executive summary shall be submitted for publication as a report document 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; and

12. Perform such other activities and functions as the Governor and General Assembly may direct.

B. The development of guidelines and procedures to implement the provisions of this article shall be exempt from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.).

2016, cc. 778, 779.

A. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Fund. The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. All moneys appropriated by the General Assembly for the Fund, and from any other sources, public or private, shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, included interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the chairman of the Board.

B. Moneys in the Fund shall be used to facilitate regional collaboration on economic growth and diversification. Specifically, the Fund shall be used to incentivize and encourage cooperation among business, education, and government on regional strategic economic development and workforce development efforts. Available moneys in the Fund shall be allocated as follows:

1. A portion of the Fund may be used to support the initial organizational efforts of each regional council, such as capacity-building activities, project prioritization, and studies and analyses related to the development of an economic growth and diversification plan for the region, including identification of existing and prospective gaps in education and skills within the region;

2. A portion shall be reserved for specific projects in each region on the basis of a region's share of state population, based on population estimates made by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia. However, the Board may cancel such reservation in whole or in part if, in the Board's judgment, the region has failed to establish a certified regional council or to otherwise meet the qualifications for grant funding in accordance with this article; and

3. A portion shall be competitively awarded on the basis of expected economic impact and outcomes without regard to a region's population.

Except for initial grants awarded pursuant to subdivision 1, no more than eight percent of any grants from the Fund to a single regional council shall be used for administrative or planning purposes.

C. Public comment shall be received by the Board when making decisions regarding awards from the Fund.

D. No more than 90 percent of moneys in the Fund shall be awarded or allocated in any fiscal year.

2016, cc. 778, 779.

A. A regional council may be established in each region identified by the Board. Regional councils shall solicit, review, and recommend regional activity projects to the Board in accordance with this article.

B. When there is no certified regional council in existence in a region, the Board may provide for the formation of a regional council by designating a formation committee chairman and two members from the region. The formation committee chairman shall be a nonlegislative citizen member of the Board, and the chairman may designate up to two additional members of the formation committee. The formation committee shall be responsible for such consultation and recruitment within the region as is likely to result in certification of a regional council for the region. The formation committee chairman and members may serve as officers and members of the regional council.

C. A regional council shall include representatives from (i) the education sector, including school divisions, community colleges, and public institutions of higher education; (ii) the economic and workforce development sector; (iii) local government; (iv) planning district commissions; (v) nonprofit organizations; and (vi) other entities that significantly affect regional economic or workforce development. Membership may include one or more nonlegislative citizen members of the Board from the region. A majority of the members of a regional council shall be from the private sector with demonstrated significant private-sector business experience. A regional council shall be chaired by a citizen member from the region with significant private-sector business experience.

D. The Board shall certify that the regional council member selection process, membership, governance, structure, composition, and leadership meet the requirements of this article and the program guidelines and procedures. The Board shall certify that the regional council has adopted bylaws and taken other such steps in its organizational activities and business plan as are necessary or required by Board guidelines and procedures to provide for accountability for and oversight of regional activities funded from the Fund.

E. Public comment shall be received by the Board when certifying a regional council.

2016, cc. 778, 779.

A. The Board shall establish guidelines, procedures, and objective criteria for the award and distribution of grants from the Fund to regional councils.

B. In order to qualify to receive grants from the Fund, a regional council shall develop an economic growth and diversification plan to (i) promote private-sector growth and opportunity in the region; (ii) identify issues of economic competitiveness for the region, including gaps in education and skills required to meet existing and prospective employer needs within the region; and (iii) outline steps that the collaborating business, education, and government entities in the region will pursue to expand economic opportunity, diversify the economy, and align workforce development activities with the education and skills needed by employers in the region. A regional council shall review such plan not less than biennially while the regional council is receiving grants from the Fund.

C. The Board shall only consider those regional activities endorsed by a regional council in its application for grants from the Fund. For any regional activity included in a regional council's application, the regional council shall identify (i) the amount of grants requested and the number of years for which grants are sought; (ii) the participating business, education, and government entities and their respective roles and contributions; (iii) the private, local, and other sources of nonstate funding that the grant from the Fund will assist in generating, including specific amounts pledged by such sources as of the application date; (iv) how the regional activity addresses the skills gaps identified in the council's economic growth and diversification plan; and (v) the economic impact or other outcomes that are reasonably expected to result from the proposed regional activity, including timetables and means of measurement.

D. Regional activities eligible for grants from the Fund shall be focused on high-impact, collaborative projects in a region that promote new job creation, entrepreneurship, and new capital investment; leverage nonstate resources to enhance collaboration; foster research, development, and commercialization activities; encourage cooperation among public bodies to reduce costs and duplication of government services; and promote other economic or workforce development activities consistent with this article that are authorized by the Board. The Board shall give initial priority to grant proposals that promote workforce development and other activities focused on eliminating skills gaps identified in a region's economic growth and diversification plan.

E. In determining a regional council's eligibility to receive grants from the Fund, and the amount of such grants, the Board shall review and score the proposed regional activities. Scores shall be assigned on the basis of predetermined criteria established by the Board in its guidelines and procedures based on the following factors:

1. The expected economic impact or outcome of the activity, with particular emphasis on goals identified in the regional council's plan for economic growth and diversification;

2. The fiscal resources from non-Fund sources that will be committed to the activity, including local or federal funds, private contributions, and cost savings expected to be achieved through regional collaboration;

3. The number and percentage of localities, including political subdivisions and bodies corporate and politic, within the region that are participating in the activity, the portion of the region's population represented by the participating localities, and the participation of localities that are outside of the applicant region;

4. The compatibility with other projects, programs, or existing infrastructure in a region to maximize the leverage of grants from the Fund to encourage new collaborative activities;

5. The expected economic impact and outcomes of the project and the complexity of the project relative to the size of the economy of the region or to the population of the participating localities;

6. The projected cost savings and other efficiencies generated by the proposed activity, and the local resources generated by collaboration that have been or will be repurposed to support the activity;

7. The character of the regional collaboration, including the nature and extent of the regional effort involved in developing and implementing the proposed activity, the complexity of the activity, the prospective impact on relations between and among the affected localities, and the prospective impact on collaboration between and among business, education, and government entities in the region;

8. Interstate, inter-regional, and other beneficial forms of collaboration, if any, that will accompany, result from, or be encouraged by the activity;

9. Efficiency in the administration and oversight of regional activities; and

10. Other factors deemed to be appropriate by the Board.

F. Each regional council awarded a grant from the Fund shall issue an annual report that shall include, at a minimum, an assessment of the impact and outcomes from regional activities supported by grants from the Fund and the region's overall progress in addressing the goals and strategies identified in the region's plan for economic growth and diversification. Such assessment shall address performance criteria prescribed in the program guidelines and procedures.

G. Subject to the provisions of § 2.2-2488 and this section, once a regional council becomes eligible for grants from the Fund, the regional council may continue to apply for and receive grants from the Fund to support economic activities consistent with the regional council's economic growth and diversification plan in such amounts and for such duration as the Board may determine in accordance with its guidelines and procedures. The Board may terminate any payments to regional councils that fail to perform in accordance with this article, the Board's guidelines or procedures, or any conditions expressly agreed upon as part of a grant award, or for malfeasance. The Board may require the refund of moneys from the Fund upon such termination. Grants that are terminated shall revert to the Fund for distribution on an unallocated competitive basis.

H. In making Fund recommendations and awards, the Board may consider regional activities that commenced prior to the enactment of this article, provided that the grant-funded program or project will expand the scope of, or increase the number of localities participating in, such preexisting activity.

I. No regional council may have outstanding grant commitments of more than 25 percent of the total amount appropriated to the Fund.

J. The year for grant payments shall be the Commonwealth's fiscal year following the calendar year in which the region qualifies, with payments made annually by the Comptroller upon certification by the Board. Grant amounts shall be made at the sole discretion of the Board.

K. (Effective until July 1, 2025) Any grant awarded from the Fund to a regional council shall require matching funds at least equal to half the amount of the grant. Such matching funds may be from local, regional, federal, or private funds. Matching funds may also be from grants awarded to a locality by the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission but shall not include any other state general or nongeneral funds, from whatever source.

K. (Effective July 1, 2025 until July 1, 2028) Any grant awarded from the Fund to a regional council shall require matching funds at least equal to half the amount of the grant. Such matching funds may be from local, regional, federal, or private funds, but shall not include any state general or nongeneral funds, from whatever source.

K. (Effective July 1, 2028) Any grant awarded from the Fund to a regional council shall require matching funds at least equal to the grant, provided, however, that the Board shall have the authority to reduce the match requirement to no less than half of the grant upon a finding by the Board of fiscal distress or an exceptional economic opportunity in a region. Such matching funds may be from local, regional, federal, or private funds, but shall not include any state general or nongeneral funds, from whatever source.

L. Decisions of the Board shall be final and not subject to review or appeal.

2016, cc. 778, 779; 2020, c. 525; 2024, cc. 276, 624.

The accounts of the Board shall be audited by the Auditor of Public Accounts or his legally authorized representatives as determined necessary by the Auditor of Public Accounts. Copies of the audit shall be distributed to the Governor and to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations.

2016, cc. 778, 779; 2018, cc. 57, 307.

The Virginia African American Advisory Board (the Board) is established as an advisory board in the executive branch of state government.

2019, c. 594.

A. The Board shall have a total membership of 26 members that shall consist of 21 nonlegislative citizen members and five ex officio members. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed as follows: 21 members, at least 15 of whom shall be African American, to be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. The Secretaries of the Commonwealth, Commerce and Trade, Education, Health and Human Resources, and Public Safety and Homeland Security or their designees shall serve ex officio with nonvoting privileges. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Board shall be citizens of the Commonwealth.

B. Ex officio members of the Board shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. All members may be reappointed.

After the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of four years. No nonlegislative citizen member shall serve more than two consecutive four-year terms. The remainder of any term to which a member is appointed to fill a vacancy shall not constitute a term in determining the member's eligibility for reappointment.

C. The Board shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The meetings of the Board shall be held at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.

2019, c. 594.

Members of the Board shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825.

2019, c. 594.

The Board shall have the following powers and duties:

1. Advise the Governor regarding the development of economic, professional, cultural, educational, and governmental links between the Commonwealth of Virginia and the African American community in Virginia;

2. Undertake studies, sponsor symposiums, conduct research, and prepare factual reports in order to gather information to formulate and present recommendations to the Governor relative to issues of concern and importance to the African American community in the Commonwealth;

3. Advise the Governor as needed regarding any statutory, regulatory, or other issues of importance to the African American community in the Commonwealth;

4. Apply for, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from public, quasi-public, or private sources, including any matching funds as may be designated in an appropriation act, to enable it to better carry out its objectives; and

5. Submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports. The chairman shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Board no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted as a report document 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.

2019, c. 594.

The Office of the Governor shall provide staff support to the Board. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Board, upon request.

2019, c. 594.

The Office of New Americans Advisory Board (the Board) is established as an advisory board, within the meaning of § 2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the Board is to advise the Governor, cabinet members, and the General Assembly on strategies to improve state policies and programs to support the economic, linguistic, and civic integration of new Americans throughout the Commonwealth.

2020, cc. 1078, 1079.

A. The Board shall consist of 18 nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor who represent or have experience with the faith community; local government; the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service; law-enforcement agencies; health, mental health, housing and workforce development organizations; organizations serving youth and the elderly; organizations providing legal services for immigrants; and educational institutions and institutions of higher education. In addition, the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Commonwealth and the Chairmen of the Virginia-Asian Advisory Board, the Latino Advisory Board, the Virginia African American Advisory Board, and the Council on Women, or their designees, shall serve ex officio with nonvoting privileges. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Board shall be residents of the Commonwealth.

Ex officio members shall serve terms consistent with their terms of office.

B. After the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of four years. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired terms. No nonlegislative citizen member shall serve more than two consecutive four-year terms; however, the remainder of any term to which a member is appointed to fill a vacancy shall not constitute a term in determining the member's eligibility for reappointment.

C. The Board shall elect from its membership a chairman and vice-chairman. A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Meetings of the Board shall be limited to four per year and shall be held upon the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.

D. Members of the Board shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825.

2020, cc. 1078, 1079.

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

1. Advise the Governor on ways to improve state policies and programs to support the economic, linguistic, and civic integration of new Americans throughout the Commonwealth;

2. Undertake studies, symposiums, research, and factual reports to gather information to formulate and present recommendations to the Governor related to issues of concern and importance to new Americans in the Commonwealth;

3. Advise the Governor as needed regarding any statutory, regulatory, or other issues of importance to new Americans in the Commonwealth;

4. Collaborate with the Department of Social Services and other public and private entities to recognize and call attention to the significant contributions of new Americans in the Commonwealth; and

5. Report annually by December 1 to the Governor and the General Assembly on the activities of the Office of New Americans and provide recommendations for improving state policies and programs to support the economic, linguistic, and civic integration of new Americans throughout the Commonwealth. The chairman of the Board shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Board no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted to the General Assembly's website.

B. The Board may apply for, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from public or private sources to enable it to carry out its objectives.

2020, cc. 1078, 1079.

The Department of Social Services shall provide staff support to the Board. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Board, upon request.

2020, cc. 1078, 1079.

A. The Virginia LGBTQ+ Advisory Board (the Board) is established as an advisory board in the executive branch of state government.

B. The Board shall have a total membership of 26 members that shall consist of 21 nonlegislative citizen members and five ex officio members. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed as follows: 21 members, at least 15 of whom shall identify as LGBTQ+, to be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. The Secretaries of the Commonwealth, Commerce and Trade, Education, Health and Human Resources, and Public Safety and Homeland Security, or their designees, shall serve ex officio with nonvoting privileges. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Board shall be citizens of the Commonwealth.

C. Ex officio members of the Board shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. All members may be reappointed.

After the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of four years. No nonlegislative citizen member shall serve more than two consecutive four-year terms. The remainder of any term to which a member is appointed to fill a vacancy shall not constitute a term in determining the member's eligibility for reappointment.

D. The Board shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The meetings of the Board shall be held at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 169.

Members shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 169.

The Board shall have the power and duty to:

1. Advise the Governor regarding the development of economic, professional, cultural, educational, and governmental links between the Commonwealth and the LGBTQ+ community in Virginia.

2. Undertake studies, sponsor symposiums, conduct research, and prepare factual reports in order to gather information to formulate and present recommendations to the Governor relating to issues of concern and importance to the LGBTQ+ community in the Commonwealth.

3. Advise the Governor as needed regarding any statutory, regulatory, or other issues of importance to the LGBTQ+ community in the Commonwealth.

4. Apply for, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from public, quasi-public, or private sources, including any matching funds as may be designated in an appropriation act, to enable it to better carry out its objectives.

5. Submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 169.

The Office of the Governor shall provide staff support to the Board. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Board, upon request.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 169.

A. The Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Board (the Board) is established as a policy board in the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the Board is to directly address the impact of economic disinvestment, violence, and historical overuse of criminal justice responses to community and individual needs by providing resources to support local design and control of community-based responses to such impacts.

B. The Board shall have a total membership of 20 members that shall consist of 13 nonlegislative citizen members and seven ex officio members. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed as follows: three to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one of whom shall be a person who has been previously incarcerated or convicted of a marijuana-related crime, one of whom shall be an expert in the field of public health with experience in trauma-informed care, if possible, and one of whom shall be an expert in education with a focus on access to opportunities for youth in underserved communities; five to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, one of whom shall be an expert on Virginia's foster care system, one of whom shall be an expert in workforce development, one of whom shall be a representative from one of Virginia's historically black colleges and universities, one of whom shall be a veteran, and one of whom shall be an entrepreneur with expertise in emerging industries or access to capital for small businesses; and five to be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, one of whom shall be a representative from the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission and four of whom shall be community-based providers or community development organization representatives who provide services to address the social determinants of health and promote community investment in communities adversely and disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibitions, including services such as workforce development, youth mentoring and educational services, job training and placement services, and reentry services. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be citizens of the Commonwealth and reflect the racial, ethnic, gender, and geographic diversity of the Commonwealth.

The Secretaries of Education, Health and Human Resources, and Public Safety and Homeland Security, the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Chief Workforce Development Advisor, and the Attorney General or their designees shall serve ex officio with voting privileges. The Chief Executive Officer of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority or his designee shall serve ex officio without voting privileges.

Ex officio members of the Board shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. After the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of four years. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. All members may be reappointed.

The Board shall be chaired by the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion or his designee. The Board shall select a vice-chairman from among its membership. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The Board shall meet at least two times each year and shall meet at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 550, 551.

Members shall receive no compensation for the performance of their duties but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 550, 551.

The Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Board shall have the following powers and duties:

1. Support persons, families, and communities historically and disproportionately targeted and affected by drug enforcement;

2. Develop and implement scholarship programs and educational and vocational resources for historically marginalized persons, including persons in foster care, who have been adversely impacted by substance use individually, in their families, or in their communities.

3. Develop and implement a program to award grants to support workforce development programs, mentoring programs, job training and placement services, apprenticeships, and reentry services that serve persons and communities historically and disproportionately targeted by drug enforcement.

4. Administer the Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund established pursuant to § 2.2-2499.8.

5. Collaborate with the Board of Directors of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as necessary to implement programs and provide recommendations in line with the purpose of this article.

6. Submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports. The chairman shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Council no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted as a report document 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.

7. Perform such other activities and functions as the Governor and General Assembly may direct.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 550, 551.

There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund, referred to in this section as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. All funds appropriated for such purpose and any gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds received on its behalf shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the purposes of:

1. Supporting persons, families, and communities historically and disproportionately targeted and affected by drug enforcement;

2. Providing scholarship opportunities and educational and vocational resources for historically marginalized persons, including persons in foster care, who have been adversely impacted by substance use individually, in their families, or in their communities;

3. Awarding grants to support workforce development, mentoring programs, job training and placement services, apprenticeships, and reentry services that serve persons and communities historically and disproportionately targeted by drug enforcement.

4. Contributing to the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission established pursuant to § 19.2-163.01; and

5. Contributing to the Virginia Cannabis Equity Business Loan Fund established pursuant to § 4.1-1501.

Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 550, 551.