Virginia Law

There is hereby created the Legislative Support Commission in the legislative branch of state government, hereafter referred to as "Commission." The Commission shall consist of seven members: two members of the Committee on Rules of the House of Delegates who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the chairman of such Committee; one member of the Committee on Rules of the Senate who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the chairman of such Committee; the Clerk of the House of Delegates; the Clerk of the Senate; the Director of the Division of Legislative Services; and the Director of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems. The Commission shall name from its members a chairman and such other officers as are deemed necessary.

Legislative members shall receive such compensation for the performance of their duties as provided in § 30-19.12 and all members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. The Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Office of the Clerk of the Senate shall provide funding for the costs of compensation and expenses of their respective members.

1980, c. 687; 2004, c. 1000.

The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:

1. To supervise the printing and distribution of bills, resolutions, joint resolutions, House documents, Senate documents or other matters directed to be printed for use of the Senate or the House of Delegates and intended for temporary use, as well as the printing and distribution of House Journals, Senate Journals and the Acts of Assembly;

2. To supervise the maintenance and operation of the General Assembly Building;

3. To supervise and assist the Capitol Tour Guides;

4. To employ such personnel as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter;

4a. To supervise the Capitol Police Force;

5. To make and enter into all contracts and agreements necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers under this chapter;

6. To do all acts necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes of this chapter; and

7. To perform other duties as directed by the Committees on Rules of the House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia.

1980, c. 687; 1982, c. 243; 2003, c. 692.

A. The Capitol Police may exercise within the limits of the Capitol Square, when assigned to any other property owned, leased, or controlled by the Commonwealth or any agency, department, institution, or commission thereof, and pursuant to the provisions of §§ 15.2-1724, 15.2-1726, and 15.2-1728 all the powers, duties, and functions that are exercised by the police of the city or the police or sheriff of the county within which such property is located.

B. The jurisdiction of the Capitol Police shall further extend 300 feet beyond the boundary of any property they are required to protect, such jurisdiction to be concurrent with that of other law-enforcement officers of the locality in which such property is located.

C. The Capitol Police shall also have concurrent jurisdiction with law-enforcement officers of the City of Richmond. In addition, a Capitol Police officer who is a detector canine handler shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the law-enforcement officers of any city or county that has requested the assistance of the Capitol Police in the detection of firearms, ammunition, explosives, propellants, or incendiaries.

D. In any case involving the theft or misappropriation of the personal property of any member or employee of the General Assembly, the Capitol Police shall have concurrent jurisdiction with law-enforcement officers of any county contiguous to the City of Richmond. Members of the Capitol Police when assigned to accompany the Governor or Governor-elect, members of the Governor's family, the Lieutenant Governor or Lieutenant Governor-elect, the Attorney General or Attorney General-elect, members of the General Assembly, or members of the Supreme Court or Court of Appeals of Virginia, or when directed to serve a summons issued by the Clerk of the Senate or the Clerk of the House of Delegates, a joint committee or commission thereof, or any committee of either house, shall be vested with all the powers and authority of a law-enforcement officer of any city or county in which they are required to be. All members of the Capitol Police shall be subject to the provisions of § 2.2-1202.1 and Chapter 5 (§ 9.1-500 et seq.) of Title 9.1.

E. The assignment of jurisdiction to any property pursuant to this section shall be approved by the Legislative Support Commission.

F. The Division of Capitol Police shall have the authority to enter into contracts or agreements necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties.

1982, c. 243; 1984, c. 149; 1988, c. 329; 1995, cc. 770, 818; 2003, cc. 231, 588; 2008, c. 437; 2012, cc. 803, 835; 2015, cc. 448, 455; 2018, cc. 579, 580; 2020, cc. 754, 897.

Subject to the provisions of § 19.2-386.29, the Division of Capitol Police may destroy unclaimed firearms and other weapons, and may lawfully dispose of other unclaimed personal property, that have been in the possession of the Division for a period of more than 120 days. For the purposes of this section, "unclaimed firearms and other weapons" means any firearm or other weapon belonging to another that has been acquired by a law-enforcement officer pursuant to his duties, that is not needed in any criminal prosecution, that has not been claimed by its rightful owner, and that the State Treasurer has indicated will be declined if remitted under the Virginia Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act (§ 55.1-2500 et seq.), and "unclaimed personal property" means any personal property belonging to another that has been acquired by a law-enforcement officer pursuant to his duties, that is not needed in any criminal prosecution, that has not been claimed by its rightful owner, and that the State Treasurer has indicated will be declined if remitted under the Virginia Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act (§ 55.1-2500 et seq.).

At the discretion of the chief of police or his designee, the Division of Capitol Police may destroy unclaimed firearms or other weapons by any means that renders the firearms or other weapons permanently inoperable and may lawfully dispose of other unclaimed personal property. Prior to the destruction of such unclaimed firearms or other weapons or disposal of such other unclaimed personal property, the chief of police or his designee shall (i) make reasonable attempts to notify by mail the rightful owner of the property and (ii) obtain from the attorney for the Commonwealth of the jurisdiction from which the unclaimed item came into the possession of the Division of Capitol Police in writing a statement advising that the item is not needed in any criminal prosecution. The Division may dispose of an unclaimed bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, or moped in accordance with the provisions of § 15.2-1720.

In lieu of destroying any such unclaimed firearm, the chief of police or his designee may donate the firearm to the Department of Forensic Science, upon agreement of the Department.

2012, c. 209; 2015, c. 220; 2018, c. 581.

To satisfy the requirements of this chapter, there shall be requisitioned by the Commission through the Division of Legislative Automated Systems sufficient copies of every bill, resolution, House document, Senate document, or other matter directed to be printed for use of the Senate or the House of Delegates.

1980, c. 687.

The Commission shall furnish to such persons, firms, or corporations as may apply therefor, copies of each bill, resolution and document printed for the House of Delegates and the Senate, as well as the calendar of each house. The Commission may limit the number of such copies furnished to any person, firm or corporation.

1980, c. 687.

A. The Commission, through the Division of Legislative Automated Systems, shall distribute to each member of the General Assembly a request form containing a checklist for selection of the Acts of Assembly, the Journals of the Senate and House of Delegates, and reports submitted to the General Assembly or any committee, subcommittee, commission, agency, or other body within the legislative branch. All requested materials shall be delivered electronically as read-only and text-searchable Portable Document Format (.pdf) files or as another widely used and accessible read-only and text-searchable electronic document format unless expressly requested otherwise.

B. The Division of Legislative Automated Systems shall notify each individual entitled to receive state publications listed in subsection A of the availability of the publications and that each will be forwarded to them by the appropriate entity upon written request. The Division shall forward requested reports of legislative entities and shall notify each agency, institution, collegial body, or other governmental entity outside of the legislative branch of the names of the members of the General Assembly requesting such entity's report.

1987, c. 128; 1992, c. 857; 2003, c. 264; 2004, c. 650; 2020, c. 421.

A. The Commission shall, within 45 days following the adjournment of the General Assembly sine die, send to each requesting member of the General Assembly a copy of each Act of Assembly signed by the Governor or if otherwise enacted into law, in the form in which it is signed by the Governor or otherwise enacted into law. Each act so sent shall be clearly denominated with the House of Delegates or the Senate bill number assigned to it by the respective houses of the General Assembly.

B. The Commission shall also requisition, through the Division of Legislative Automated Systems, as soon as approved by the Governor, not in excess of 5,000 copies of the acts and joint resolutions of the General Assembly. These it shall have bound in ordinary half binding, with the index and tables required by law to be printed with the acts and joint resolutions of the General Assembly, and as soon as practicable after the close of each session of the General Assembly, shall deliver by mail, express or otherwise, if requested pursuant to § 30-34.4:1:

1. One copy to the Governor; and such additional copies as may be requested for use in the Governor's office;

2. One copy to each of the Governor's secretaries;

3. One copy to each head of department; each division of the Governor's office, the Commissioner of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission, the Employment Commission and the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Director of the Department of Wildlife Resources and the Executive Secretary of the Compensation Board and the Director of the Virginia Retirement System;

4. As many copies to the Division of Legislative Services as may be required by the Division for its use or for exchange with other states;

5. One copy to each member of the General Assembly; however, up to four additional copies may be obtained upon application to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems;

6. One copy to the Lieutenant Governor;

7. One copy to each judge;

8. Five copies to the State Corporation Commission;

9. Twenty-five copies to the Attorney General;

10. One copy to the reporter of the Supreme Court, the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court, and each clerk of any court, attorney for the Commonwealth, Commissioner of the Revenue, Treasurer, public library, school board, judge and clerk of any court held in this Commonwealth under the laws of the United States and each attorney and marshal in this Commonwealth holding office under the United States;

11. One copy to the city manager of a city, the mayor of a town and the county administrator, manager or executive depending on the county's form of government; however, an additional copy for use within the city, town or county may be obtained upon application to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems;

12. Five copies to The Library of Virginia;

13. Five copies to the State Law Library;

14. One copy to the head of each institution of higher education in the Commonwealth;

15. One copy to the library of each institution of higher education in the Commonwealth;

16. One copy to the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind;

17. Five copies to the Clerk of the Senate for the use of the Senate;

18. Ten copies to the Clerk of the House of Delegates for the use of the House;

19. Three copies to the Auditor of Public Accounts;

20. Three additional copies to the Comptroller;

21. One copy to the county attorney in those counties which have created the office of the county attorney;

22. One copy to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission;

23. One copy to the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Delegates;

24. One copy to the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations; and

25. One copy to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

1980, c. 687; 1983, c. 108; 1987, c. 128; 1992, c. 857; 1994, c. 64; 2020, c. 958.

A. The Commission, through the Division of Legislative Automated Systems, shall order all printing done by direction of the Senate or the House of Delegates, or their respective clerks. Within a reasonable time after the close of each session of the General Assembly the Commission shall cause to be printed and bound the Journals of the Senate and the House of Delegates, with an index thereto, in sufficient quantity to make the following distribution, if requested pursuant to § 30-34.4:1:

1. One copy to the Governor;

2. Fifteen copies each to the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House;

3. A sufficient number of copies to The Library of Virginia to meet collection requirements pursuant to § 2.2-609;

4. One copy to the library of each educational institution in this Commonwealth;

5. One copy to each public library which makes written application therefor to the Commission;

6. One copy to the President of the Senate and one copy to the Speaker of the House;

7. One copy to the Division of Legislative Services;

8. One copy to each requesting member of the Senate and the House of Delegates;

9. One copy to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission;

10. One copy to the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Delegates; and

11. One copy to the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations.

B. The number of copies to be printed and the quality of binding shall be designated by the Commission.

1980, c. 687; 1987, cc. 123, 128; 1994, c. 64; 2003, c. 264.

Repealed by Acts 2003, c. 264.

The Commission shall furnish institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth in which a law school is established, and which has not previously been furnished, out of any surplus copies on hand, with one copy of the Journal of the Senate, the Journal of the House of Delegates, the Journal of the Constitutional Conventions, the Acts of Assembly, and the Codes.

1980, c. 687.

The Commission is authorized and directed to furnish to the Law Library of the University of Virginia, the Law Library of the George Mason University School of Law, and the Law Library of the Marshall-Wythe School of Law of the College of William and Mary in Virginia 50 copies each of such publications printed under its authority as may be designated in writing by the Law Librarian of the University of Virginia, the Law Librarian of the George Mason University School of Law, and the Law Librarian of the Marshall-Wythe School of Law of the College of William and Mary in Virginia prior to the time that any such publication so designated goes to press, to be used for exchanges for like publications with law libraries and institutions of other states, the national government, and other governments, societies, and others as they may see fit.

1980, c. 687.

For the services rendered under §§ 30-34.3 through 30-34.6, the Commission may charge and collect in advance a fee as determined by the Director of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems to be reasonable and sufficient to cover the cost of printing, binding, and handling; in addition to each such fee it shall also charge and collect an amount necessary to cover the cost of mailing, if such bills, calendars and resolutions are to be sent by mail. All fees collected pursuant to this section and § 30-34.10:3 shall be deposited into a special fund to be known as the "Legislative Automated Service Fund" which is hereby created. This fund shall be administered by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems and disbursements made therefrom for services related to §§ 30-34.3 through 30-34.6 and 30-34.10:1.

1980, c. 687; 1987, c. 214.

The Commission, through the Division of Legislative Automated Systems, shall establish and maintain a legislative electronic information system that includes the status of bills and resolutions active within the legislative process and related information. Electronic access to this information shall be made available to all agencies of the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions, and conditionally available to the public as resources permit.

1987, c. 214.

The text of the Code of Virginia, the Virginia Administrative Code, and the Virginia Register of Regulations shall be a part of the legislative electronic information system and the Internet subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be established by the Virginia Code Commission in accordance with its responsibilities for publishing and maintaining the Codes and Register as set forth in § 30-146. Copyright interests of the Code publisher, which include case annotations, cross-reference notes, editor's notes, collateral reference notes and effect of amendment notes, shall not be violated.

1987, c. 214; 1996, c. 338; 2003, c. 212.

For the services rendered in providing access to the legislative electronic information system, the Commission may charge and collect a fee for each inquiry as determined by the Director of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems to be a reasonable and sufficient proportion of the costs for maintaining the system and furnishing access. No fee, however, shall be charged to any agency of the legislative branch of the Commonwealth, including individual legislators using the information exclusively for legislative purposes.

Users located outside the geographical limits of the Commonwealth shall be charged an access fee double that referred to in the preceding paragraph.

No person, firm, corporation or other entity shall receive access from the legislative electronic information system for resale without first applying to the Director of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems. Such application shall be approved only on the condition that a fee equal to twenty-five percent of the resale charge is paid which shall be in addition to the other fees provided for in this section.

1987, c. 214.