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2002 SESSION


CHAPTER 679
An Act to amend and reenact § 30-192 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Commission.
[S 431]
Approved April 6, 2002

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 30-192 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 30-192. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Commission; membership; duties; compensation; staff; annual report.

A. There is hereby established within the legislative branch, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Commission, hereinafter referred to as the "Commission." The Commission shall be composed of fifteen eighteen members as follows: five members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; four members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections; four citizens, two of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House and two of whom shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections; the Project Director of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Learning Week; and the Executive Director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Virginia State Conference. Members of the Commission shall be appointed for the life of the Commission four members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections; six members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; and four citizen members to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections as follows: one shall be the Executive Director of Living the Dream, Inc.; one shall be a representative of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) of Virginia; one shall be a representative of a statewide organization or a state affiliate of a national organization whose mission is to represent ethnic or racial minority citizens in the Commonwealth; and one shall be a citizen at-large; and four citizen members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House as follows: one shall be the Executive Director of the Foundation for the Humanities and Public Policy; and three shall be citizens at-large from among any of the state's eleven Congressional districts. The Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections and the Speaker of the House shall ensure, to the extent possible, that their respective appointments to the Commission reflect the demographic population of the Commonwealth.

The Commission shall elect a chairman and a vice-chairman from among its legislative members.

Legislative members of the Commission shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. 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. Legislative and citizen members may be reappointed. However, no Senate member shall serve more than two consecutive four-year terms, no House member shall serve more than four consecutive two-year terms, and no 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. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. Legislative members of the Commission shall receive such compensation as provided in § 30-19.12, and citizen members shall receive such compensation for the discharge of their duties as provided in the appropriation act. All members shall be reimbursed for the actual reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance discharge of their duties as provided in § 2.2-2825. However, all such expenses shall be paid from existing appropriations to the Commission.

B. The Commission shall meet not less than four times annually. The Commission shall perform the following duties:

1. Identify, plan, develop, and implement appropriate programs and events that further the philosophy and memory of Dr. King.

2. Monitor the educational goals, programs, and objectives of public and private schools to ensure encourage the recognition and inclusion of the achievements and contributions of ethnic and minority groups.

3. Inventory, and review, biennially, activities and events sponsored by localities in the Commonwealth and those instituted or offered by public and private schools and institutions of higher education designed to honor Dr. King's memory and.

4. encourage the participation of persons representative of the demographic composition of the Commonwealth, to the end that Facilitate the analysis of public policy relative to Dr. King's principles and philosophy of, including his work pertaining to social and economic justice, ethics, and racial equality is reflected in public policies and affairs, and an promote the appreciation of diverse cultures is promoted among the citizenry.

4. 5. Collaborate with the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission The King Center and other established state and local entities and community organizations in activities and events that commemorate the birth, and death, and in initiatives designed to perpetuate the work and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

5. 6. Establish a mechanism in memorial to honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by in which (i) the records, oral histories, and memorabilia documenting his relationship with and impact on the Commonwealth may be acquired and preserved; (ii) information concerning his life, work, teachings, writings, and philosophy may be collected, preserved, and disseminated accessed for educational and cultural purposes; and (iii) scholarly inquiry, and writing, undergraduate and graduate study, and policy analysis may be conducted.

6. 7. Encourage and support collaborative activities among state, local, and national organizations that and engage in the dissemination of appropriate information and collaborative activities which (i) emphasize the noncommercialization of the commemoration of Dr. King's birth state and federal King Holiday, (ii) present his life and achievements in historical context, (iii) articulate the relationship between his philosophy, contributions, and current public policies, and (iv) demonstrate his philosophy principles consistently through significant participation of persons of diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds in public and private affairs endeavors and enterprises.

8. Monitor and evaluate state, local, and national public policy relative to the principles and philosophy of Dr. King, and make appropriate recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly to maintain progress towards social and economic justice and equal opportunity for all citizens.

7. 9. Perform such other functions and activities as may be necessary to facilitate or implement the Commission's objectives.

C. The Division of Legislative Services shall serve as staff to the Commission. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall assist the Commission, upon request.

D. The Commission shall report annually to the Governor and the General Assembly its activities, findings, and recommendations for appropriate statewide commemorative activities, events, and public policies which that further the philosophy of Dr. King annually to the Governor and the General Assembly.

2. That upon the effective date of this act, the terms of the Commission members who were appointed prior to the passage of this act shall expire. Such members shall be eligible to serve the full length of consecutive terms as provided by this act if appointed.