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2000 SESSION


CHAPTER 541
An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 23 a chapter numbered 24, consisting of a section numbered 23-295, and a chapter numbered 25, consisting of sections numbered 23-296, 23-297 and 23-298, and to repeal Chapter 12.1 (§ 9-99.1) and Chapter 12.2 (§ 9-99.2 et seq.) of the Code of Virginia, relating to Gunston Hall and the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia.
[H 1308]
Approved April 6, 2000

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Title 23 a chapter numbered 24, consisting of a section numbered 23-295, and a chapter numbered 25, consisting of sections numbered 23-296, 23-297 and 23-298, as follows:

CHAPTER 24.
BOARD OF REGENTS; GUNSTON HALL.

§ 23-295. Board of Regents of Gunston Hall; Board of Visitors for Gunston Hall.

There is hereby created the Board of Regents of Gunston Hall and the Board of Visitors for Gunston Hall. Membership of both collegial bodies shall be pursuant to the terms and conditions of the deed of gift of Gunston Hall from Louis Hertle to the Commonwealth of Virginia. The duties for the two boards are prescribed in Chapter 138 of the 1932 Acts of Assembly and Chapter 175 of the 1948 Acts of Assembly. As such, the Board of Regents is declared an educational institution with all the rights, powers, privileges, and immunities under law. The Board of Regents shall manage, maintain and operate Gunston Hall and accept and administer gifts of real and personal property made for the benefit of Gunston Hall.

CHAPTER 25.
FRONTIER CULTURE MUSEUM OF VIRGINIA.

§ 23-296. Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia created; purpose.

There is hereby created the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia as a state agency. The purpose of the museum is to construct, operate, and maintain, in the Augusta County/Staunton/Waynesboro area of the Commonwealth, an outdoor museum in order to commemorate on an international scale the contribution which the pioneers and colonial frontiersmen and frontierswomen of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries made to the creation and development of the United States. The Museum is an educational institution with responsibility to administer certain historical and interpretive programs as may be established.

§ 23-297. Board of Trustees; membership; terms; officers and committees; compensation.

The Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia shall be administered by a Board of Trustees consisting of no more than twenty-five members. The members shall be appointed as follows: five members of the House of Delegates shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; three members of the Senate shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections; and nine citizen members shall be appointed by the Governor.

Legislative members shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Members appointed by the Governor shall serve terms as follows: three members shall serve for one year, two members shall serve for two years, two members shall serve for three years, and two members shall serve for four years. Thereafter, members appointed shall serve for four-year terms. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be made for the unexpired term. The Governor may appoint, upon recommendation of the Board of Trustees, eight additional members for four-year terms who may be nonresidents of the Commonwealth and who shall serve at no expense to the Commonwealth.

The Board of Trustees shall elect a chairman, vice-chairman, and such other officers as it deems necessary. Seven or more of the members of the Board of Trustees shall constitute an executive committee.

The Board of Trustees shall be reimbursed for actual expenses and shall be compensated at the per diem rate established for members of the General Assembly for meetings.

§ 23-298. Powers of Board of Trustees.

The Board of Trustees shall have the following power to:

1. Establish, operate, and maintain the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia to commemorate the contributions which the pioneers and colonial frontiersmen and frontierswomen made to the creation of this nation;

2. Employ an executive director and such assistants as may be required and confer such duties and responsibilities as determined necessary;

3. Adopt a flag, seal, and other emblems for use in connection with the Museum;

4. Establish a nonprofit corporation to develop and maintain public awareness of the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia;

5. Receive and expend gifts, grants, and donations of any kind from whatever sources determined;

6. Adopt regulations and set fees concerning the use and visitation of properties under its control;

7. Acquire, with the consent of the Governor, lands, property and structures deemed necessary to the purpose of the Museum by purchase, lease, gift, devise or condemnation proceedings. The title to land and property acquired shall be in the name of the Commonwealth. In the exercise of the power of eminent domain granted under this section, the Museum may proceed in the manner provided by law for the Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner in Article 7 (§ 33.1-89 et seq.) of Chapter 1 of Title 33.1;

8. Convey by lease land to any person, association, firm or corporation, with the consent of the Governor, for such terms and on such conditions as the Museum may determine;

9. Enter into contracts to further the purpose of the Museum, which have been approved by the Attorney General; and

10. Elect any past member of the Board of Trustees to the honorary position of trustee emeritus. Trustees emeriti shall serve as honorary members for life, shall not have voting privileges and shall be elected in addition to those positions set forth in § 23-297.

2. That Chapter 12.1 (§ 9-99.1) and Chapter 12.2 (§ 9-99.2 et seq.) of the Code of Virginia are repealed.