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1995 SESSION


CHAPTER 749
An Act to amend and reenact § 46.2-749.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to establishment of a committee to advise on use of proceeds of "Friend of the Chesapeake" license plates.
[H 2093]
Approved April 6, 1995

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 46.2-749.2 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 46.2-749.2. Special Chesapeake Bay preservation plates.

A. On receipt of an application and payment of the fee prescribed by this section, the Commissioner shall issue special license plates bearing the following legend: FRIEND OF THE CHESAPEAKE.

B. The annual fee for plates issued pursuant to this section shall be twenty-five dollars in addition to the prescribed fee for state license plates. For each such twenty-five dollar fee collected in excess of 1,000 sets issued pursuant to this section, fifteen dollars shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the special nonreverting fund known as the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund, established within the Department of Accounts, for use by the Council on the Environment or its successor agency Commonwealth of Virginia for environmental education and restoration projects relating to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Interest earned on the Fund will accrue to the Fund.

2. § 1. Advisory committee established; membership; duties.

A. There is hereby established within the legislative branch the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund Advisory Committee to be known as "the Committee." The Committee shall advise the General Assembly on the expenditure of moneys received in the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund (the Fund).

B. The Committee shall consist of seven persons as follows: two members of the House of Delegates and two persons appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, one of whom shall be a representative of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation; one member of the Senate and two persons appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections, one of whom shall be a representative of the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. All persons appointed to the Committee shall be representative of the interests associated with the restoration and conservation of the Chesapeake Bay. At least one citizen member shall be a current holder of the "Friend of the Chesapeake" license plate. Members of the Committee shall serve for terms of four years. Legislators' terms shall be concurrent with their elected terms of office. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired term and shall be made in the same manner as the original appointment. Members shall not be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms. The Committee shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its legislative membership. Members shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed out of the Fund for their necessary and actual expenses incurred in connection with their duties as Committee members. The Committee shall meet at least one time each year, and additional meetings may be held at the call of the chairman.

C. The Committee shall develop goals and guidelines for the use of the Fund, which may include but not be limited to cooperative programs with, or project grants to, state agencies, the federal government, or any not-for-profit agency, institution, organization, or entity, public or private, whose purpose is to provide environmental education and projects relating to the restoration and conservation of the Chesapeake Bay. Moneys in the Fund may not be used to supplant existing general fund appropriations except as provided in subsection B.

D. No later than December 1 of each year, the Committee shall present to the Governor and the General Assembly a plan for expenditure of any amounts in the Fund.

E. Staffing of the Committee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services.