Virginia Law

Article 3.1. Investments.

A. The Board shall be the trustee of the funds of the Retirement System that it administers and of those resulting from the abolished system. Subject to the provisions of this chapter, the Board shall have full power to invest and reinvest such funds as authorized by law.

B. The Board shall have the power to borrow money in such amounts as may be necessary to discharge current obligations under this chapter whenever in its judgment it would be more advantageous to borrow money than to sell securities held by the Retirement System. Any debt so incurred may be evidenced by notes duly authorized by resolution of the Board, but in no case is the due date of any note or other evidence of debt to be beyond the end of the biennium succeeding the biennium in which the debt is incurred. Securities held by the Retirement System may be hypothecated by the Board as security for the payment of any debt incurred under this section.

C. The Board shall discharge its duties with respect to the Retirement System solely in the interest of the beneficiaries thereof and shall invest the assets of the Retirement System with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims. The Board shall also diversify such investments so as to minimize the risk of large losses unless under the circumstances it is clearly prudent not to do so.

D. No officer, director, or member of the Board or of any advisory committee of the Retirement System or any of its tax exempt subsidiary corporations whose actions are within the standard of care in subsection C above shall be held personally liable for losses suffered by the Retirement System on investments made under the authority of this chapter.

E. In the case of a plan administered by the Board which provides individual accounts permitting an employee or beneficiary to exercise discretion over assets in his account, the Board shall not be liable for any loss resulting from such employee's or beneficiary's (i) exercise of discretion over the assets in his account or (ii) inaction with respect to the assets in his account that results in such assets being placed in a default investment option selected by the Board.

F. In the case of an automatic rollover of a mandatory cash-out, as that term is defined under I.R.C. § 401 (a)(31)(B) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (including as such section is amended or renumbered, or any successor provision thereto) and regulations thereunder applicable to governmental plans, the Board shall not be liable for any loss resulting from the Board's selection of an individual retirement plan provider and investment product where the selection is made in accordance with guidelines to be adopted by the Board that are similar to the safe harbor guidelines adopted by the United States Department of Labor for this purpose.

1952, c. 157, § 51-111.24; 1954, c. 633; 1959, Ex. Sess., c. 47; 1962, c. 50; 1972, c. 151; 1973, c. 523; 1976, c. 545; 1977, c. 620; 1978, c. 841; 1980, cc. 559, 596; 1984, c. 430; 1990, c. 832, § 51.1-114; 1994, cc. 4, 85; 1995, c. 788; 2000, c. 396; 2005, c. 729; 2013, c. 463.

The Virginia Retirement System (VRS) shall adopt a formal policy to:

1. Develop and regularly report sensitivity and stress test analyses. Such analyses and reporting shall include projections of benefit levels, pension costs, liabilities, and debt reduction under various economic and investment scenarios;

2. Improve investment transparency and reporting policy by (i) providing a clear and detailed online statement of investment policy; (ii) including one-year, three-year, five-year, and 10-year investment performance data in quarterly investment reports; (iii) including 20-year and 25-year investment performance data in annual investment reports; (iv) reporting net investment returns on a quarterly basis; and (v) reporting gross investment returns and returns by asset class on an annual basis; and

3. Regularly report investment performance and expenses such as external manager fees, carried interest fees, and investment department expenses for all asset classes, including private equity, public equity, fixed income, credit strategies, real assets, strategic opportunities, and other investments.

2017, c. 639.

The Board may invest the assets of any retirement system or program it administers on a pooled or consolidated basis. The Board shall maintain a separate accounting of the funds of each of the retirement systems and programs.

Code 1950, §§ 51-140, 51-141, 51-149, 51-166; 1950, p. 885; 1954, c. 139; 1966, c. 628; 1970, c. 779; 1972, c. 151; 1990, c. 832, § 51.1-115; 1994, cc. 4, 85; 2000, c. 911.

The selection of services related to the management, purchase, or sale of authorized investments, actuarial services, and disability determination services shall be governed by the standard of care in § 51.1-124.30 and shall not be subject to the provisions of the Virginia Public Procurement Act (§ 2.2-4300 et seq.).

1982, c. 580, § 51-111.24:2; 1985, c. 490; 1989, c. 399; 1990, c. 832, § 51.1-116; 1991, c. 391; 1994, cc. 4, 85; 2007, c. 65.

The Board may authorize the deposit of trust funds in interest-bearing time deposits and certificates of deposit of national banks located within the Commonwealth, of banks organized pursuant to Chapter 8 (§ 6.2-800 et seq.) of Title 6.2, of savings institutions which are under state supervision, and of federal associations located in this Commonwealth and organized under the laws of the United States and under federal supervision and federally insured. Such deposits shall not be considered the investment of trust funds for the purposes of this chapter. Deposit of the funds in demand and time deposits and in certificates of deposit of national banks located within this Commonwealth and of banks organized pursuant to the Virginia Banking Act is hereby authorized, provided that the deposits are secured as provided by law and that no deposit is made for any one period in excess of one year. Deposit of trust funds in savings accounts and certificates of savings institutions which are under state supervision and of federal associations located in this Commonwealth and organized under the laws of the United States and under federal supervision is hereby authorized. Such deposits shall not exceed the amount insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or other federal insurance agency, unless deposits in excess of the amount insured are fully collateralized by eligible collateral as defined in § 2.2-4401. No such deposit shall be made for any one period in excess of one year.

1980, c. 596, § 51-111.24:4; 1990, cc. 3, 832, § 51.1-122; 1994, cc. 4, 85.

An investment that conformed with the provisions of this chapter at the time the investment was made may be retained even though the investment ceases to be eligible for purchase under the provisions of this chapter, unless the standard of care in § 51.1-124.30 requires the sale or other disposition of the investment.

1980, c. 596, § 51-111.24:1; 1988, c. 526; 1989, c. 28; 1990, c. 832, § 51.1-123; 1994, cc. 4, 85.

Investment of trust funds by the Board shall be governed exclusively by this article.

1980, c. 596, § 51-111.24:8; 1990, c. 832, § 51.1-124; 1994, cc. 4, 85.

A. In addition to such other powers as shall be vested in the Board, the Board shall have the full power to invest, reinvest, and manage the assets of the Commonwealth Health Research Fund. The Board shall maintain a separate accounting for the assets of the Commonwealth Health Research Fund.

B. The Board shall invest the assets of the Commonwealth Health Research Fund with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims. The Board shall also diversify such investments so as to minimize the risk of large losses unless under the circumstances it is clearly prudent not to do so.

C. No officer, director, or member of the Board or of any advisory committee of the Retirement System or any of its tax exempt subsidiary corporations whose actions are within the standard of care in subsection B above shall be held personally liable for losses suffered by the Retirement System on investments made under the authority of this section.

D. The provisions of §§ 51.1-124.32, 51.1-124.33, 51.1-124.34, and 51.1-124.35 shall apply to the Board's activities with respect to funds in the Commonwealth Health Research Fund.

E. The Board may assess the Commonwealth Health Research Board a reasonable administrative fee for its services.

1997, cc. 803, 888, 891; 2007, cc. 700, 711.

A. In addition to such other powers as shall be vested in the Board of the Virginia Retirement System (Board), the Board shall have the full power to invest, reinvest, and manage the assets of the Commonwealth's Attorneys Training Fund (Fund). The Board shall maintain a separate accounting for the assets of the Fund.

B. The Board shall invest the assets of the Fund with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims. The Board shall also diversify such investments so as to minimize the risk of large losses unless under the circumstances it is clearly prudent not to do so.

C. No officer, director, or member of the Board or of any advisory committee of the Virginia Retirement System or any of its tax exempt subsidiary corporations whose actions are within the standard of care set forth in subsection B shall be held personally liable for losses suffered by the Retirement System on investments made under the authority of this section.

D. The provisions of §§ 51.1-124.32, 51.1-124.33, 51.1-124.34, and 51.1-124.35 shall apply to the Board's activities with respect to moneys in the Fund.

E. The Board may assess the Commonwealth's Attorneys' Services Council a reasonable administrative fee for its services.

2015, cc. 212, 226.

Repealed by Acts 2020, cc. 1164 and 1169, cl. 2.

A. In addition to such other powers as shall be vested in the Board, the Board shall have the full power to invest, reinvest, and manage the assets of the Line of Duty Death and Health Benefits Trust Fund (the Fund) established pursuant to § 9.1-400.1. The Board shall maintain a separate accounting for the assets of the Fund.

B. The Board shall invest the assets of the Fund with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims. The Board shall also diversify such investments so as to minimize the risk of large losses unless under the circumstances it is clearly prudent not to do so.

C. No officer, director, or member of the Board or of any advisory committee of the Retirement System or any of its tax-exempt subsidiary corporations whose actions are within the standard of care in subsection B shall be held personally liable for losses suffered by the Retirement System on investments made under the authority of this section.

D. The provisions of §§ 51.1-124.32 through 51.1-124.35 shall apply to the Board's activities with respect to moneys in the Fund.

E. The Board may assess the Fund a reasonable administrative fee for its services.

2016, c. 677.

A. In addition to such other powers as shall be vested in the Board, the Board shall have the full power to invest, reinvest, and manage any assets of the Opioid Abatement Fund (the Fund) designated by the Opioid Abatement Authority for investment, reinvestment, or management by the Board. The Board shall maintain a separate accounting for the assets of the Fund. The Opioid Abatement Authority shall request a distribution of funds from the Board no more frequently than annually, and the Opioid Abatement Authority shall designate funds for investment by the Board no more frequently than annually.

B. The Board shall invest the assets of the Fund with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims. The Board shall also diversify such investments so as to minimize the risk of large losses unless under the circumstances it is clearly prudent not to do so.

C. No officer, director, or member of the Board or of any advisory committee of the Retirement System or any of its tax exempt subsidiary corporations whose actions are within the standard of care in subsection B shall be held personally liable for losses suffered by the Retirement System on investments made under the authority of this section.

D. The provisions of §§ 51.1-124.32 through 51.1-124.35 shall apply to the Board's activities with respect to funds in the Fund.

E. The Board may assess the Opioid Abatement Authority a reasonable administrative fee for its services.

2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 306, 307.