§ 2.2-302 Responsibilities
It shall be the responsibility of the Assistant to the Governor, generally, to serve as an institutional and organizational link between the government of the Commonwealth and those agencies, bureaus, departments, offices, and entities of the United States government located in the City of Washington, D.C., and its immediate environs. The responsibilities of the Assistant to the Governor shall include, but not necessarily be limited to:
1. Monitoring, tracking, and conducting in-depth analyses of federal legislation and regulations that have a direct impact on the Commonwealth and providing the Governor, the appropriate Cabinet Secretaries, and state agencies with up-to-date information on the status of such federal legislation and regulations, including the potential impact on the Commonwealth and coordination of state positions on such legislation and regulations;
2. Influencing the development and outcome of federal legislation by keeping the Virginia Congressional Delegation informed about the Governor’s priorities and the impact that such legislation will have on the management, the budget, and the citizens of the Commonwealth;
3. Providing advice regarding written or oral testimony to be presented by the Governor or state agency heads before Congressional committees;
4. Alerting state agencies to early opportunities for federal grants and working with the Department of Planning and Budget to monitor and track the status of federal grant applications submitted by state agencies;
5. Joining in cooperative efforts with other states, through other offices of intergovernmental affairs, governors associations, and interstate groups with which the Commonwealth has an affiliation, on issues of mutual concern;
6. Serving as an information source about the Commonwealth upon the request of (i) another state’s governor’s office or Congressional member’s staff, (ii) the White House, (iii) a federal agency, or (iv) the embassy of a foreign country;
7. Assisting state agency officials in (i) resolving administrative problems that may occur between the state agency and federal agencies and (ii) obtaining needed information from the federal government;
8. Arranging meetings between federal and state officials; and
9. Reporting twice yearly to the members of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Governor on all federal mandates and regulations that may have an effect on the Commonwealth. These reports shall be presented by January 31 and July 31 of each year and shall contain the recorded votes of each member of the Virginia Congressional Delegation for all such legislation.
History
This law was first created in 1978. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 515 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1978 “Acts” aren’t available online. It has been modified 6 times. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1981, chapter 315; in 1994, chapter 479; in 1997, chapter 67; in 2001, chapter 844; in 2011, chapters 827 and 867; in 2013, chapters 231 and 401.
1978, c. 515, § 2.1-567; 1981, c. 315; 1994, c. 479; 1997, c. 67; 2001, c. 844; 2011, cc. 827, 867; 2013, cc. 231, 401.