HOUSE BILL NO. 504 Offered January 11, 2006 Prefiled January 9, 2006 A BILL to amend and reenact § 23-218 of the Code of Virginia, relating to reduced tuition rates for employees of the Virginia Community College System. ---------- Patron-- Armstrong ---------- Referred to Committee on Education ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 23-218 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 23-218. Plan for comprehensive community colleges; appropriations; tuition fees and charges; grants or contributions; apprenticeships.

A. The Board is authorized and directed to prepare and administer a plan providing standards and policies for the establishment, development and administration of comprehensive community colleges under its authority. It shall determine the need for comprehensive community colleges, develop a statewide plan for their location and a time schedule for their establishment. In the development of such plan, a principal objective shall be to provide and maintain a system of comprehensive community colleges through which appropriate educational opportunities and programs to accomplish the purposes set forth in subdivision (a) of § 23-214 shall be made available throughout the Commonwealth. In providing these offerings, the Board shall recognize the need for excellence in all curricula and shall endeavor to establish and maintain standards appropriate to the various purposes the respective programs are designed to serve.

B. The Board shall have the authority to control and expend funds appropriated by law, and to fix tuition fees and charges. The Board shall establish policies and guidelines providing for reduced tuition rates at Virginia's community colleges for employees of the Virginia Community College System. The Board may exercise the powers conferred by Chapter 3 (§ 23-14 et seq.) of this title as any other educational institution as defined in § 23-14.

C. The Board shall be authorized, with the approval of the Governor, to accept from any government or governmental department or agency or any public or private body or from any other source, grants or contributions of money or property which the Board may use for or in aid of any of its purposes.

D. The Board shall establish policies to coordinate apprenticeship-related instruction delivered by state and local public education agencies. The Chancellor, with the approval of the State Board for Community Colleges, shall provide for the administration and supervision of related and supplemental instruction for apprentices.