HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 166 Offered January 11, 2006 Establishing a joint subcommittee to study capital and infrastructure needs at Virginia's institutions of higher education. Report. ---------- Patron-- Scott, J.M. ---------- Referred to Committee on Rules ----------

WHEREAS, the student population at Virginia's institutions of higher education has increased in the recent past and will likely continue to grow in the near future; and

WHEREAS, it is incumbent upon the Commonwealth to provide adequate and sufficient higher education opportunities to Virginia's students; and

WHEREAS, to meet the higher education goals of Virginia's students, the Commonwealth must ensure that institutions of higher education will have adequate capital and infrastructure to accommodate Virginia's burgeoning student population; and

WHEREAS, in addition to mechanisms that are currently in place to fund capital projects and improvements at Virginia's institutions of higher education, there may be several other viable methods for funding such capital projects and improvements; and

WHEREAS, all institutions of higher education in Virginia, whether public, private, nonprofit, or for-profit, have a role in providing higher education opportunities to Virginia's students and should be adequately maintained to best provide quality higher education experiences; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the capital and infrastructure needs at Virginia's institutions of higher education. The joint subcommittee shall have a total membership of 15 members that shall consist of 11 legislative members, two nonlegislative citizen members, and two ex officio members. Members shall be appointed as follows: seven members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; four members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; one nonlegislative citizen member representing a public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; and one nonlegislative citizen member representing a public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. The Director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System or their designees shall serve ex officio with voting privileges. Nonlegislative citizen members of the joint subcommittee shall be citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unless otherwise approved in writing by the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk, nonlegislative citizen members shall only be reimbursed for travel originating and ending within the Commonwealth of Virginia for the purpose of attending meetings. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required. The joint subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice chairman from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall consider (i) current funding mechanisms for capital projects and improvements at the Commonwealth's institutions of higher education, including general obligation bonds and other viable funding methods; (ii) mechanisms to assist private institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth with their capital needs; and (iii) the role of for-profit institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth in providing collegiate and graduate education to Virginia's students.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint subcommittee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services. Technical assistance shall be provided by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee for this study, upon request.

The joint subcommittee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2006 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $12,600 without approval as set out in this resolution. Approval for unbudgeted nonmember-related expenses shall require the written authorization of the chairman of the joint subcommittee and the respective Clerk. If a companion joint resolution of the other chamber is agreed to, written authorization of both Clerks shall be required.

No recommendation of the joint subcommittee shall be adopted if a majority of the House members or a majority of the Senate members appointed to the joint subcommittee (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the joint subcommittee.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2006, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2007 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether the joint subcommittee intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and the report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may approve or disapprove expenditures for this study, extend or delay the period for the conduct of the study, or authorize additional meetings during the 2006 interim.