Virginia SB 117: American Revolution 250 Commission; amends membership and staffing.

Bill Text

VIRGINIAACTSOFASSEMBLY--2024SESSION
CHAPTER401
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 30-422 and 30-426 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the American
Revolution 250 Commission; membership and staffing.
[S117]
ApprovedApril4,2024
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§30-422 and 30-426 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§30-422. (Expires July 1, 2032) Membership; terms; vacancies; chairman and vice-chairman.
A. The Commission shall have a total membership of 27 at least 26 members that shall consist of
five legislative members, 17 16 nonlegislative citizen members, and at least five ex officio members.
Members shall be appointed as follows:
1. Two members of the Senate, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules;
2. Three 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;
3. One representative from each of the lead commemoration partners: the Jamestown-Yorktown
Foundation, the primary state agency; the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, the primary nonstate
agency; and Gunston Hall, the primary representative of Virginia's historic homes and related sites;
4. One representative from the American Battlefield Trust, the secretariat of the United States
Semiquincentennial Commission, and one representative from the Virginia Bar Association;
5. Six members appointed by the Governor from a list of 10 provided by the Jamestown-Yorktown
Foundation; and
6. Six members appointed by the Governor from a list of 10 provided by the Virginia Museum of
History & Culture.
7. The chairman and vice-chairman of the Commission may appoint up to four members who are
directors of historic homes, historic sites, or National Park Service sites in Virginia. Such members shall
serve as ex officio members with voting privileges.
8. The chairman and vice-chairman of the Commission may appoint former legislative members of
the Commission who have retired or resigned from the General Assembly. Such members shall serve as
ex officio members with voting privileges.
The Secretary of Education, the Librarian of Virginia, the Director of the Department of Historic
Resources, the Executive Director of Virginia Humanities, and the Chief Executive Officer of the
Virginia Tourism Authority, or their designees, shall serve as ex officio members with voting privileges.
Nonlegislative citizen members of the Commission shall be citizens of the Commonwealth.
B. The Commission shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership.
C. Legislative members of the Commission shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office.
Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for the duration of the Commission's activities.
Appointments to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same
manner as the original appointments.
§30-426. (Expires July 1, 2032) Staffing.
The Commission may appoint and employ and, at its pleasure, remove an executive director and such
other persons as it deems necessary to assist it in carrying out its duties as set forth in this chapter. The
Commission may determine the duties of such staff and fix their salaries or compensation within the
amounts appropriated thereof. If funds are not appropriated for staffing, the Joint Rules Committee shall
determine the staffing support for the Commission.
Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the Senate or the Office
of the Clerk of the House of Delegates as may be appropriate for the house in which the chairman of
the Commission serves. The Division of Legislative Services shall serve as fiscal agent and provide
legal services as requested by the Commission. All agencies and political subdivisions of the
Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Commission, upon request.