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2008 SESSION

082031220
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 57
Offered January 9, 2008
Prefiled January 8, 2008
Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the organization of Virginia local government. Report.
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Patron-- Deeds
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, Virginia's localities have successfully faced many challenges in recent decades; and

WHEREAS, despite the successes of Virginia's localities, many unsolved or new problems remain; and

WHEREAS, Virginia's localities may sometimes be hindered in tackling some of their most difficult problems due to the structure and organization of Virginia state and local government; and

WHEREAS, several major studies of local government structure have been undertaken in the last 40 years, including the Hahn Commission of the late 1960s, the Michie Commission of the 1970s, and the Wilder Advisory Commission on the Dillon Rule and the Grayson Commission of the early 1990s; and

WHEREAS,  sufficient time has passed that many of the issues raised in previous studies warrant reexamination in light of the many changes that have occurred during that time; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the organization of Virginia local government.  The joint subcommittee shall have a total membership of 15 members that shall consist of 10 legislative members and five nonlegislative citizen members.  Members shall be appointed as follows: four members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; six members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; two nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and three nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates. Nonlegislative citizen members of the joint subcommittee shall be citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unless otherwise approved in writing by the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk, nonlegislative citizen members shall only be reimbursed for travel originating and ending within the Commonwealth of Virginia for the purpose of attending meetings.  If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice chairman from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall review previous major studies of Virginia's structure and organization of local government.  The joint subcommittee shall examine the changes that have occurred in Virginia subsequent to these studies and make any appropriate recommendations for further changes to local government structure.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the Senate. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint subcommittee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services.  All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee for this study, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2008 interim and four meetings for the 2009 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $12,000 for each year without approval as set out in this resolution. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk.  If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required.

No recommendation of the joint subcommittee shall be adopted if a majority of the Senate members or a majority of the House members appointed to the joint subcommittee (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the joint subcommittee.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its meetings for the first year by November 30, 2008, and for the second year by November 30, 2009, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly for each year. Each executive summary shall state whether the joint subcommittee intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summaries and reports shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee.  The Committee may approve or disapprove expenditures for this study, extend or delay the period for the conduct of the study, or authorize additional meetings during the 2008 or 2009 interim.