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2008 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Rules
Subcommittee Studies

Edwards (Chairman), Puckett, Quayle

Clerk: Susan Clarke Schaar/Patty Lung
Staff: Cheryl Jackson, Brenda Edwards
Date of Meeting: January 22, 2008
Time and Place: 10:00 a.m., 4th Floor East

S.B. 464

Patron: Whipple

Virginia Commission on Energy.  Establishes the Virginia Commission on Energy as a legislative commission. Its purposes include reviewing and recommending steps to implement the Virginia Energy Plan; promoting energy efficiency and energy conservation; securing reliable supplies of energy; promoting research and development in the field of alternative and renewable energy sources; reviewing state building standards; and recommending measures to secure Virginia's energy future.

S.B. 575

Patrons: Saslaw, Norment

Commission on Electric Utility Regulation.  Renames the Commission on Electric Utility Restructuring as the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation, extends its scheduled expiration from July 1, 2008, until July 1, 2010, and states that its purposes is to work collaboratively with the State Corporation Commission in conjunction with the implementation of the Virginia Electric Utility Restructuring Act.

S.B. 749

Patron: Stosch

Public-Private Partnership Advisory Commission.  Changes the primary staff of the Commission to the Department of General Services. Currently, the Offices of the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates are primary staff.

S.J.R. 42

Patron: Lucas

Study; mental health; report.  Establishes a joint subcommittee to receive and review recommendations of the Chief Justice's Commission on Mental Health Law Reform, the Virginia Tech Review Panel, the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, and any other committee, commission, group, or individual with recommendations for, and any legislation submitted to the General Assembly related to, the reform of the Commonwealth's process for involuntary commitment specifically and the system of mental health services generally.

S.J.R. 47

Patron: Puller

Study; JLARC to study Board of Medicine; report.  Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to conduct a follow-up review of the effectiveness of the Board of Medicine in regulating the practice of medicine.

S.J.R. 50

Patron: Lucas

Study; Craney Island Dredged Materials Management Area; report. Requests the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the impact of increased elevations at the Craney Island Dredged Materials Management Area. The Commission will study the efficiencies of ocean dumping compared to continued dumping on Craney Island; the stability of the dredged materials during and after a natural disaster; the risks of dike breaches; impacts on the harbor infrastructure and the environment; and reduced utility of the area after dredging has ceased.

S.J.R. 57

Patron: Deeds

Study; organization of Virginia local government. Creates a 15-member joint subcommittee to study the organization of Virginia local government, to review previous studies on this topic, and to make recommendations as appropriate.

S.J.R. 62

Patron: Barker

Study; unforeseen circumstances that prevent a local governing body from convening a quorum for conducting business; report.  Establishes a joint subcommittee to study methods to alleviate the instances when unforeseen circumstances prevent a local governing body from convening a quorum for conducting business.

S.J.R. 66

Patron: Blevins

Study; fiscal autonomy for elected school boards; report.  Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study implications of granting fiscal autonomy to elected school boards in the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall (i) examine state constitutional and statutory issues regarding school board supervisory authority, (ii) study the respective roles of local school boards and the relevant local governing body in delivering and funding public education, (iii) examine fiscal authority models in other states, and (iv) consider such other issues as it deems appropriate.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission must submit an executive summary of its findings and recommendations to the 2009 Session of the General Assembly.

S.J.R. 75

Patron: Hanger

Study; continuing the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Comprehensive Services Program for At-Risk Youth and Families; report.  Continues the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Comprehensive Services Program for At-Risk Youth and Families, established by Senate Joint Resolution 96 (2006), to continue to review the administration of the Comprehensive Services Program and to develop additional legislative recommendations for the 2009 Session of the General Assembly.

S.J.R. 76

Patron: Hanger

Study; continues the Joint Subcommittee Studying Long-Term Funding for the Purchase of Development Rights to Preserve Open-Space and Farmlands; report. Continues for an additional year the Joint Subcommittee Studying Long-Term Funding Sources for the Purchase of Development Rights to Preserve Open-Space Land and Farmlands. In conducting the study, the joint subcommittee would study alternative options for cost-sharing arrangements with local governments to provide funding for land preservation and new parks, the effectiveness and efficiency of local purchase of development rights programs as a tool for land preservation, the future needs of the Commonwealth for open-space land and parks, and sources of dedicated funds for long-term funding of land preservation and new parks.

S.J.R. 77

Patron: Hanger

Study; substance abuse and prevention programs. Creates a joint subcommittee to study strategies and models for substance abuse prevention and treatment that effectively reduce the costly service demands created by substance abuse. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) identify and characterize the nature of substance abuse in the Commonwealth; (ii) identify current state policies and programs targeting substance abuse prevention and treatment; (iii) examine the cost of such policies and programs to the Commonwealth; (iv) identify and examine policies and prevention programs from other leading states in the field of substance abuse and prevention; and (v) benchmark the Commonwealth's substance abuse prevention and treatment programs and policies against those of the leading states.

S.J.R. 79

Patron: Northam

Study; Dedicated revenue stream for teacher salaries. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility of creating a dedicated revenue stream for teacher salaries.  In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall examine the salary levels of beginning and veteran teachers in Virginia, review methods and initiatives employed by other states to increase and maintain competitive teacher salaries, and evaluate the feasibility of and identify appropriate sources for creating a dedicated revenue stream to fund teacher salaries. The joint subcommittee must report its findings and recommendations to the 2009 Session of the General Assembly.

S.J.R. 80

Patron: Northam

Study; Virginia Housing Commission; incentives used by other states for targeted affordable housing development for the workforce; report.  Directs the Virginia Housing Commission to study incentives used by other states and jurisdictions for targeted development of affordable housing and whether such incentives may be used to foster the location of affordable housing for the workforce in appropriate areas of need.

S.J.R. 90

Patron: Norment

Study; restorative justice; report.  Directs the Virginia State Crime Commission to study restorative justice and specifically, victim-offender reconciliation programs.

S.J.R. 92

Patron: Stolle

Study; Hampton Roads transportation entities; report.  Establishes a 10-member joint subcommittee to conduct a one-year study of the relationship, duties, and responsibilities of and between the various transportation entities in Hampton Roads.

S.J.R. 99

Patron: Stolle

Study; clerks' offices; report. Continuing the joint subcommittee to study the operations of circuit court clerks' offices.

S.J.R. 100

Patron: Cuccinelli

Study; nuclear power; report.  Establishes a joint subcommittee to study nuclear power within the Commonwealth. The joint subcommittee shall (i) address all aspects of the production of nuclear power, including the mining of uranium the impact of the new nuclear plants on electricity rates; (ii) examine the economic development potential of nuclear power; (iii) consider whether the General Assembly should take action to support the development of additional nuclear power facilities in the Commonwealth; and (v) examine the advisability of permitting the mining of uranium in Virginia.

S.J.R. 107

Patron: Saslaw

Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the mining of uranium in the Commonwealth. 

S.J.R. 119

Patron: Barker

Study; retroreflective material on stop sign posts; report.  Requests the Department of Transportation to study the feasibility, costs, and benefits of applying retroreflective material to stop sign posts statewide.

S.J.R. 122

Patron: Colgan

Study; enhancing rapid transit service in Northern Virginia; report.  Establishes a joint subcommittee to study enhancing rapid transit service in Northern Virginia.

S.J.R. 128

Patron: Houck

Study; JCHC to study continuing competency of health care professionals; report.  Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study the feasibility, advisability, and necessity of considering the competence of licensed health care professionals as a condition of license renewal.

S.J.R. 129

Patron: Stolle

Study; JLARC to study cost of VITA services; report.  Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to study services provided to state agencies and public bodies by the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA). In conducting its study, JLARC shall (i) evaluate the quality, cost, and value of the services delivered to state agencies and public bodies and (ii) characterize the impact to state agencies and public bodies resulting from the transition to a fee-based services model and to the information technology infrastructure partnership with Northrop Grumman.