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2009 SESSION


CHAPTER 569
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-2235 and 2.2-2238 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority; board of directors; powers.
[S 1279]
Approved March 27, 2009

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 2.2-2235 and 2.2-2238 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 2.2-2235. Board of directors; members and officers; Executive Director.

The Authority shall be governed by a board of directors consisting of the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, the Secretary of Finance, and the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System, all or their designees, serving as ex officio, voting members, and 18 members to be appointed as follows: (i) one from each congressional district in the Commonwealth and one citizen at large, appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly; (ii) four citizens at large appointed by the Speaker of the House; and (iii) two citizens at large appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. The six citizens appointed by the General Assembly shall reside in regions of the Commonwealth that have a higher unemployment rate than that of the statewide average unemployment rate as reported by the Virginia Employment Commission for the preceding four years from the date of appointment. Ex officio members of the Board shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Four of the 12 directors initially appointed by the Governor shall be appointed for terms of two and one-half years, three for terms of four and one-half years, and five for terms of six and one-half years, from the effective date of their appointment; and thereafter the terms of members of the Board shall be six years. No member shall be eligible to serve more than two terms; however, after the expiration of the term of a member appointed to serve three years or less, two additional terms may be served if appointed thereto. Any appointment to fill a vacancy shall be for the unexpired term. A person appointed to fill a vacancy may be appointed to serve two additional terms. Members of the Board shall receive their expenses and shall be compensated at the rate provided in § 2.2-2104 for each day spent on the business of the Board.

The Board shall elect from its membership a chairman and a vice-chairman, and shall also elect a secretary and a treasurer, who need not be members of the Board, and may also elect other subordinate officers, who need not be members of the Board. The Board may also form committees and advisory councils, which may include representatives who are not members of the Board, to undertake more extensive study and discussion of the issues before the Board.

A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the Authority's business, and no vacancy in the membership shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise the rights and perform all duties of the Authority.

The Board shall appoint the chief executive officer of the Authority, who shall not be a member of the Board, who shall be known as the Executive Director and who shall serve at the pleasure of the Board and carry out such of the powers and duties conferred upon him by the Board.

§ 2.2-2238. Economic development services.

A. It shall be the duty of the Authority to encourage, stimulate, and support the development and expansion of the economy of the Commonwealth. The Authority is charged with the following duties and responsibilities to:

1. See that there are prepared and carried out effective economic development marketing and promotional programs;

2. Make available, in conjunction and cooperation with localities, chambers of commerce, industrial authorities, and other public and private groups, to prospective new businesses basic information and pertinent factors of interest and concern to such businesses;

3. Formulate, promulgate, and advance programs throughout the Commonwealth for encouraging the location of new businesses in the Commonwealth and the retention and growth of existing businesses;

4. Encourage and solicit private sector involvement, support, and funding for economic development in the Commonwealth;

5. Encourage the coordination of the economic development efforts of public institutions, regions, communities, and private industry and collect and maintain data on the development and utilization of economic development capabilities;

6. Establish such offices within and without the Commonwealth that are necessary to the expansion and development of industries and trade;

7. Encourage the export of products and services from the Commonwealth to international markets; and

8. Advise, upon request, the State Board for Community Colleges in designating technical training programs in Virginia's comprehensive community colleges for the Community College Incentive Scholarship Program pursuant to § 23-220.4.

9. Offer a program for the issuance of export documentation for companies located in Virginia exporting goods and services if no federal agency or other regulatory body or issuing entity will provide export documentation in a form deemed necessary for international commerce.

B. The Authority shall prepare a specific plan annually that shall serve as the basis for marketing high unemployment areas of Virginia. This plan shall be submitted to the Governor and General Assembly annually on or before November 1 of each year. The report shall contain the plan and activities conducted by the Authority to market these high unemployment areas. The annual report shall be part of the report required by § 2.2-2242.