A. The Authority shall be composed of 11 nonlegislative citizen members appointed as follows: Six members shall be appointed by the Governor; three members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; and two members shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. All members of the Authority shall reside in the Commonwealth. Members may include representatives of solar businesses, solar customers, renewable energy financiers, state and local government solar customers, and solar research academics.

B. Except as otherwise provided herein, all appointments shall be for terms of four years each. No member shall be eligible to serve more than two successive four-year terms. After expiration of an initial term of three years or less, two additional four-year terms may be served by such member if appointed thereto. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be made for the unexpired terms. Any appointment to fill a vacancy shall be made in the same manner as the original appointment. 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.

C. The initial appointments of members by the Governor shall be as follows: two members shall be appointed for terms of four years, two members shall be appointed for terms of three years, and two members shall be appointed for terms of two years. The initial appointments of members by the Speaker of the House of Delegates shall be as follows: one member shall be appointed for a term of four years, one member shall be appointed for a term of three years, and one member shall be appointed for a term of two years. The initial appointments of members by the Senate Committee on Rules shall be as follows: one member shall be appointed for a term of four years, and one member shall be appointed for a term of three years. Thereafter all appointments shall be for terms of four years.

D. The Authority shall appoint from its membership a chairman and a vice-chairman, both of whom shall serve in such capacities at the pleasure of the Authority. The chairman, or in his absence the vice-chairman, shall preside at all meetings of the Authority. The meetings of the Authority shall be held on the call of the chairman or whenever a majority of the members so request. A majority of members of the Authority serving at any one time shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

E. Members shall serve without compensation. However, all members may 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. Such expenses shall be paid from such funds as may be appropriated to the Authority by the General Assembly.

F. Members of the Authority shall be subject to the standards of conduct set forth in the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act (§ 2.2-3100 et seq.) and may be removed from office for misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance, neglect of duty, or misconduct in the manner set forth therein.

G. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, members of the Authority shall be subject to the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.).

History

2015, cc. 90, 398.