CODE OF VIRGINIA

VIRGINIA GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY BOARD; MEMBERSHIP; TERMS; COMPENSATION (§
2.2-2485)

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 24 members that shall consist of
seven legislative members, 14 nonlegislative citizen members, and three 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 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
three 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 Finance, and the
Secretary of Technology. 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.

HISTORY: 2016, cc. 778, 779.