Virginia SB 704: Rural Virginia, Center for; renames Center the Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr. Center for Rural Virginia.

Bill Text

VIRGINIAACTSOFASSEMBLY--2024SESSION
CHAPTER133
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-2699.3, 2.2-2720, and 3.2-3103 of the Code of Virginia, relating to
the Center for Rural Virginia; name change.
[S704]
ApprovedMarch26,2024
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 2.2-2699.3, 2.2-2720, and 3.2-3103 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted
as follows:
§2.2-2699.3. Broadband Advisory Council; purpose; membership; compensation; chairman.
A. The Broadband Advisory Council (the Council) is established as an advisory council, within the
meaning of § 2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the Council shall be
to advise the Governor on policy and funding priorities to expedite deployment and reduce the cost of
broadband access in the Commonwealth.
B. The Council shall have a total membership of 17 members that shall consist of seven legislative
members, six 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 six nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor, of whom one shall be a
representative of the Virginia Cable Telecommunications Association, one shall be a representative of
the Virginia Telecommunications Industry Association, one shall be a representative from local
government recommended by the Virginia Municipal League and Virginia Association of Counties, one
shall be a representative of the Virginia Wireless Internet Service Providers Association, one shall be a
representative of a wireless service authority, and one shall be a representative of the Virginia, Maryland
and Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives. The executive director of the Senator Frank M. Ruff,
Jr. Center for Rural Virginia and three Secretaries as defined in § 2.2-200 to be appointed by the
Governor shall serve ex officio. Legislative and ex officio members shall serve terms coincident with
their terms of office. Other members shall be appointed for terms of two 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.
C. Legislative members of the Council shall receive such compensation as provided in § 30-19.12.
Nonlegislative citizen members shall serve without compensation. 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 compensation and expenses of legislative members shall be
provided by the operating budgets of the Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Clerk of the Senate
upon approval of the Joint Rules Committee. The Governor shall designate the office of one of the
secretaries appointed pursuant to subsection B to provide funding for the costs of expenses of the
nonlegislative citizen members and all other expenses of the Council.
D. The Council shall elect a chairman and a vice-chairman annually from among its membership. A
majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The Council shall meet at such times as may be
called by the chairman or a majority of the Council.
E. Staff to the Council shall be provided by the Secretary of Commerce and Trade. The Division of
Legislative Services shall provide additional staff support to legislative members serving on the Council.
Article7.
TheSenatorFrankM.Ruff,Jr.CenterforRuralVirginia.
§2.2-2720. The Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr. Center for Rural Virginia; purpose.
The Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr. Center for Rural Virginia, hereinafter referred to as "the Center," is
hereby created as an independent nonprofit local entity without political subdivision status, for the
purpose of sustaining economic growth in the rural areas of the Commonwealth and lessening the
burdens of government through the activities prescribed in subsection B of §2.2-2723.
§3.2-3103. Powers and duties of the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission.
A. The Commission shall have the power and duty to:
1. Adopt, use, and alter at will an official seal;
2. Make bylaws for the management and regulation of its affairs;
3. Maintain an office at such place or places within the Commonwealth as it may designate;
4. Accept, hold, and administer moneys, grants, securities, or other property transferred, given, or
bequeathed to the Commission, absolutely or in trust, for the purposes for which the Commission is
created;

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5. Determine how moneys in the Fund are to be distributed;
6. Authorize grants, loans, or other distributions of moneys in the Fund for the purposes set forth in
this chapter;
7. For each economic developmen