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2023 SESSION

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23103832D
SENATE BILL NO. 1218 Offered January 11, 2023 Prefiled January 10, 2023 A BILL to amend and reenact § 51.5-127 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services; Commonwealth Council on Aging; membership and staff support. ---------- Patron-- Mason ---------- Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 51.5-127 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 51.5-127. Commonwealth Council on Aging; purpose; membership; terms.

A. The Commonwealth Council on Aging is established as an advisory council, within the meaning of § 2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the Commonwealth Council on Aging shall be to promote an efficient, coordinated approach by state government to meeting the needs of older Virginians.

B. The Commonwealth Council on Aging shall consist of 24 16 members as follows: one member from each of the 11 congressional districts eight regions of the Commonwealth identified by the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service in its Virginia Regional Map (2017), four of whom shall be appointed by the Commissioner and four of whom shall be persons with personal experience in issues specific to aging appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation by the General Assembly; four two at-large nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; four two at-large nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and the Commissioner for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, the Director of the Department of Medical Assistance Services, the Executive Director of the Virginia Center on Aging, the Commissioner of Social Services, the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, and the President of the Virginia Association of Area Agencies on Aging, or their designees, who shall serve as nonvoting ex officio members. Members of the Commonwealth Council on Aging shall be citizens of the Commonwealth appointed at large without regard to political affiliation but with due consideration of geographical representation. Appointees shall be selected for their ability, and all appointments shall be of such nature as to aid the work of the Commonwealth Council on Aging and to inspire the highest degree of cooperation and confidence.

C. After the initial staggering of terms, all appointments shall be for four-year terms.

The Commissioner shall not appoint any member to represent a region unless one term of membership has passed since the Commissioner has made an appointment to represent such region. The Governor shall be similarly restricted.

Appointments to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired term. No person having served on the Commonwealth Council on Aging for two full consecutive terms shall be eligible for reappointment to the Commonwealth Council on Aging for two years thereafter. 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 to serve.

D. The Commonwealth Council on Aging shall elect a chairman and a vice-chairman from among its members and shall appoint a secretary and such other officers as it deems necessary and prescribe their duties and terms of office. The Commonwealth Council on Aging may adopt bylaws to govern its operations.

E. Members shall receive compensation for the performance of their duties as provided in § 2.2-2813. All members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. Funding for the costs of compensation and expenses of the members shall be provided by the Department.

F. The Department shall provide staff support to the Commonwealth Council on Aging and shall have the authority to employ a person to facilitate the duties of the Commonwealth Council on Aging, to provide research services to the Commonwealth Council on Aging, to assist in the preparation and changes regarding the policies implemented by the Commonwealth Council on Aging, and to provide legislative recommendations of the Commonwealth Council on Aging, as deemed necessary by the Commissioner.