Tracking Virginia’s General Assembly
since 2007.
SB620: Mentally retarded; replaces term with intellectually disabled.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 2.2-212, 2.2-213, 2.2-214, 2.2-223, 2.2-507, 2.2-701, 2.2-704, 2.2-705, 2.2-1124, 2.2-1204, 2.2-1207, 2.2-1839, as it is currently effective and as it may become effective, 2.2-2411, 2.2-2525, 2.2-2648, 2.2-2649, 2.2-2664, 2.2-2696, 2.2-2818, 2.2-2905, 2.2-3705.3, 2.2-3705.5, 2.2-4344, 2.2-5201, 2.2-5206, 2.2-5300, 4.1-305, 8.01-654.2, 9.1-111, 9.1-901, 15.2-964, 15.2-2291, 15.2-5386, 16.1-241, 16.1-269.1, 16.1-275, 16.1-278.8, 16.1-278.8:01, 16.1-278.11, 16.1-280, 16.1-293.1, 16.1-336, 16.1-345, 16.1-356, 16.1-357, 16.1-361, 18.2-10, 18.2-73, 18.2-74, 18.2-251, 18.2-251.01, 18.2-252, 18.2-254, 18.2-254.1, 18.2-258.1, 18.2-271.2, 18.2-308.1:1, 18.2-308.2:2, 18.2-369, 19.2-123, 19.2-169.1, 19.2-169.2, 19.2-169.3, 19.2-169.5, 19.2-175, 19.2-182.2, 19.2-182.3, 19.2-182.8, 19.2-182.9, 19.2-182.13, 19.2-182.16, 19.2-218.1, 19.2-264.3:1, 19.2-264.3:1.1, 19.2-264.3:1.2, 19.2-264.3:3, 19.2-301, 19.2-302, 19.2-389, 19.2-390, 20-88, 22.1-7, 22.1-205, 22.1-209.2, 22.1-213, 22.1-214.2, 22.1-214.3, 22.1-215, 22.1-217.1, 22.1-253.13:2, 22.1-272.1, 22.1-319, 23-38.2, 25.1-100, 29.1-313, 32.1-45.1, 32.1-59, 32.1-64.1, 32.1-65, 32.1-73.7, 32.1-102.1, 32.1-122.5, 32.1-124, 32.1-125.1, 32.1-127.01, 32.1-127.1:03, 32.1-127.1:04, 32.1-135.2, 32.1-276.3, 32.1-276.8, 32.1-283, 32.1-283.1, 32.1-325, 32.1-351.2, 36-96.6, 37.2-100, 37.2-200, 37.2-203, 37.2-204, 37.2-300, 37.2-303, 37.2-306, 37.2-315, 37.2-316, 37.2-317, 37.2-318, 37.2-319, 37.2-403, 37.2-409, 37.2-416, 37.2-423, 37.2-500, 37.2-504, 37.2-505, 37.2-506, 37.2-508, 37.2-509, 37.2-600, 37.2-601, 37.2-605, 37.2-608, 37.2-716, 37.2-802, 37.2-806, 37.2-900, 37.2-900.1, 37.2-909, 37.2-912, 37.2-919, 37.2-1018, 37.2-1101, 38.2-3323, 38.2-3409, 38.2-3412.1, 38.2-3418.5, 46.2-400, 46.2-401, 46.2-1229, 51.5-1, 51.5-2, 51.5-3, 51.5-14.1, 51.5-30, 51.5-31, 51.5-39.2, 51.5-39.7, 51.5-39.8, 51.5-39.12, 53.1-32, 53.1-40.2, 53.1-136, 53.1-145, 54.1-2715, 54.1-2726, 54.1-2970, 54.1-2982, 54.1-2986, 54.1-2987.1, 54.1-3408, 54.1-3408.01, 54.1-3437.1, 54.1-3506, 56-484.19, 57-2.02, 57-60, 63.2-100, 63.2-1503, 63.2-1528, 63.2-1603, 63.2-1709, 63.2-1726, 63.2-1735, 63.2-1805, 66-18, and 66-20 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 2.2-212. Position established; agencies for which responsible; additional powers.
The position of Secretary of Health and Human Resources (the
Secretary) is created. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources shall be
responsible to the Governor for the following agencies: Department of Health,
Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, Department of Health Professions,
Department for the Aging, Department of Mental Health, Mental RetardationIntellectual
Disability and Substance Abuse Services, Department of Rehabilitative
Services, Department of Social Services, Department of Medical Assistance
Services, Child Day-Care Council, Virginia Department for the Deaf and
Hard-of-Hearing, the Office of Comprehensive Services for Youth and At-Risk
Youth and Families, and the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority. The
Governor may, by executive order, assign any other state executive agency to
the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, or reassign any agency listed
above to another Secretary.
Unless the Governor expressly reserves such power to himself, the Secretary shall (i) serve as the lead Secretary for the coordination and implementation of the long-term care policy of the Commonwealth, working with the Secretaries of Transportation, Commerce and Trade, and Education, and the Commissioner of Insurance, to facilitate interagency service development and implementation, communication and cooperation, (ii) serve as the lead Secretary for the Comprehensive Services Act for At-Risk Youth and Families, working with the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Public Safety to facilitate interagency service development and implementation, communication and cooperation, and (iii) coordinate the disease prevention activities of agencies in the Secretariat to ensure efficient, effective delivery of health related services and financing.
§ 2.2-213. Secretary of Health and Human Resources to develop certain criteria.
In order to respond to the needs of substance abusing women and their children, the Secretary shall develop criteria for (i) enhancing access to publicly funded substance abuse treatment programs in order to effectively serve pregnant substance abusers; (ii) determining when a drug-exposed child may be referred to the early intervention services and tracking system available through Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1431 et seq.; (iii) determining the appropriate circumstances for contact between hospital discharge planners and local departments of social services for referrals for family-oriented prevention services, when such services are available and provided by the local social services agency; and (iv) determining when the parent of a drug-exposed infant, who may be endangering a child's health by failing to follow a discharge plan, may be referred to the child protective services unit of a local department of social services.
The Secretary shall consult with the Commissioner of Mental
Health, Mental RetardationIntellectual Disability and Substance
Abuse Services, the Commissioner of Social Services, the Commissioner of
Health, community services boards, behavioral health authorities local
departments of social services, and local departments of health in developing
the criteria required by this section.
§ 2.2-214. Responsibility of certain agencies within the Secretariat; review of regulations.
The Boards of Health, Mental Health, Mental RetardationIntellectual
Disability and Substance Abuse Services, Social Services, and Medical
Assistance Services and the Department of Rehabilitative Services shall review
their regulations and policies related to service delivery in order to
ascertain and eliminate any discrimination against individuals infected with human
immunodeficiency virus.
§ 2.2-223. Interagency Drug Offender Screening and Assessment Committee.
The Secretary shall establish and chair an Interagency Drug
Offender Screening and Assessment Committee to oversee the drug screening,
assessment and treatment provisions of §§ 16.1-273, 16.1-278.1, 16.1-278.8,
18.2-251.01, 18.2-251, 18.2-252, 19.2-299 and 19.2-299.2 for defendants
convicted in the criminal courts of the Commonwealth. The Committee shall
include the Directors or Commissioners of the Department of Corrections;
Department of Criminal Justice Services; Department of Juvenile Justice;
Department of Mental Health, Mental RetardationIntellectual
Disability, and Substance Abuse Services; the Virginia Alcohol Safety
Action Program; and the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission. The Committee
shall have the responsibility to: (i) assist and monitor agencies in
implementing the above-listed Code of Virginia sections, (ii) ensure quality
and consistency in the screening and assessment process, (iii) promote
interagency coordination and cooperation in the identification and treatment of
drug abusing or drug dependent offenders, (iv) implement an evaluation process
and conduct periodic program evaluations, and (v) make recommendations to the
Governor and General Assembly regarding proposed expenditures from the Drug
Assessment Fund. The Committee shall report on the status and effectiveness of
offender drug screening, assessment and treatment to the Virginia State Crime
Commission and the House Committees on Courts of Justice and Appropriations,
and the Senate Committees on Courts of Justice and Finance by January 1 of each
year.
§ 2.2-507. Legal service in civil matters.
A. All legal service in civil matters for the Commonwealth, the Governor, and every state department, institution, division, commission, board, bureau, agency, entity, official, court, or judge, including the conduct of all civil litigation in which any of them are interested, shall be rendered and performed by the Attorney General, except as provided in this chapter and except for any litigation concerning a justice or judge initiated by the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission. No regular counsel shall be employed for or by the Governor or any state department, institution, division, commission, board, bureau, agency, entity, or official. The Attorney General may represent personally or through one or more of his assistants any number of state departments, institutions, divisions, commissions, boards, bureaus, agencies, entities, officials, courts, or judges that are parties to the same transaction or that are parties in the same civil or administrative proceeding and may represent multiple interests within the same department, institution, division, commission, board, bureau, agency, or entity. Upon request of the local attorney for the Commonwealth, the Attorney General may provide legal service in civil matters for soil and water conservation district directors or districts.
B. The Attorney General may represent personally or through one of his assistants any of the following persons who are made defendant in any civil action for damages arising out of any matter connected with their official duties:
1. Members, agents or employees of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board;
2. Agents inspecting or investigators appointed by the State Corporation Commission;
3. Agents, investigators, or auditors employed by the Department of Taxation;
4. Members, agents or employees of the State Mental Health, Mental
RetardationIntellectual Disability and Substance Abuse Services
Board, the Department of Mental Health, Mental RetardationIntellectual
Disability and Substance Abuse Services, the State Board of Health, the
State Department of Health, the Department of General Services, the State Board
of Social Services, the Department of Social Services, the State Board of
Corrections, the Department of Corrections, the State Board of Juvenile
Justice, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Virginia Parole Board, or the
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services;
5. Persons employed by the Commonwealth Transportation Board;
6. Persons employed by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles;
7. Persons appointed by the Commissioner of Marine Resources;
8. Police officers appointed by the Superintendent of State Police;
9. Conservation police officers appointed by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries;
10. Third impartial panel members appointed to hear a teacher's grievance pursuant to § 22.1-312;
11. Staff members or volunteers participating in a court-appointed special advocate program pursuant to Article 5 (§ 9.1-151 et seq.) of Chapter 1 of Title 9.1;
12. Any emergency medical service agency that is a licensee of the Department of Health in any civil matter and any guardian ad litem appointed by a court in a civil matter brought against him for alleged errors or omissions in the discharge of his court-appointed duties; or
13. Conservation officers of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Upon request of the affected individual, the Attorney General may represent personally or through one of his assistants any basic or advanced emergency medical care attendant or technician possessing a valid certificate issued by authority of the State Board of Health in any civil matter in which a defense of immunity from liability is raised pursuant to § 8.01-225.
C. If, in the opinion of the Attorney General, it is impracticable or uneconomical for such legal service to be rendered by him or one of his assistants, he may employ special counsel for this purpose, whose compensation shall be fixed by the Attorney General. The compensation for such special counsel shall be paid out of the funds appropriated for the administration of the board, commission, division or department being represented or whose members, officers, inspectors, investigators, or other employees are being represented pursuant to this section. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the Supreme Court may employ its own counsel in any matter arising out of its official duties in which it, or any justice, is a party.
§ 2.2-701. Nature of long-term care services.
A. The long-term care services shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
1. A balanced range of health, social, and supportive services to deliver long-term care services to persons aged 60 and older with chronic illnesses or functional impairments;
2. Meaningful choice, increased functional ability, and affordability as determining factors in defining long-term care service needs, which needs shall be determined by a uniform system for comprehensively assessing the needs and preferences of individuals requiring such services;
3. Service delivery, consistent with the needs and preferences of individuals requiring such services, that occurs in the most independent, least restrictive, and most appropriate living situation possible; and
4. Opportunities for self-care and independent living, as appropriate, by encouraging all long-term care programs to maximize self-care and independent living within the mainstream of life in the community.
B. Such services shall include, but not be limited to, the following categories: socialization services, health care services, nutrition services, daily living services, educational services, housing services, transportation services, and supportive services.
C. As used in this section:
"Daily living services" includes homemaker, companion, personal care and chore services, home repair, weatherization and adult day care.
"Educational services" includes information on the long-term care services provided by agencies of the Commonwealth, its localities and private sector agencies, and public information as provided in § 2.2-213.1.
"Health care services" includes home health care and community medical care.
"Housing services" includes community-based residential opportunities and retrofitting existing housing as needed.
"Nutrition services" includes home-delivered meals, food stamps, and congregate meals.
"Socialization services" includes telephone reassurance, friendly visiting, and congregate meals.
"Supportive services" includes adult protective
services, mental health and mental retardation services, services for
persons with intellectual disabilities, counseling services and legal aid.
"Transportation services" includes readily available access to public transportation or area coordinated para-transit systems.
§ 2.2-704. Responsibility of Department for complaints regarding long-term care services.
The Department or its designee shall investigate complaints
regarding community services that are designed to provide long-term care to
older persons and are rendered by the Department of Health, the Department of
Social Services, the Department of Mental Health, Mental RetardationIntellectual
Disability and Substance Abuse Services, the area agencies on aging or any
private nonprofit or proprietary agency.
Nothing in this section shall affect the services provided by local departments of welfare or social services pursuant to § 63.2-1605.
§ 2.2-705. Access to residents, facilities and patients' records by Office of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
The entity designated by the Department to operate the
programs of the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman pursuant to the
Older Americans Act, Public Law 100-175, shall, in the investigation of
complaints referred to the program, have the same access to (i) residents,
facilities and patients' records of licensed adult care residences in
accordance with § 63.2-1706 and (ii) patients, facilities and patients' records
of nursing facilities or nursing homes in accordance with § 32.1-25, and shall
have access to the patients, residents and patients' records of state hospitals
operated by the Department of Mental Health, Mental RetardationIntellectual
Disability and Substance Abuse Services. However, if a patient is unable to
consent to the review of his medical and social records and has no legal
guardian, such representatives shall have appropriate access to such records in
accordance with this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 32.1-125.1,
the entity designated by the Department to operate the programs of the Office
of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman shall have access to nursing facilities
and nursing homes and state hospitals in accordance with this section. Access
to residents, facilities and patients' records shall be during normal working
hours except in emergency situations.
§ 2.2-1124. Disposition of surplus materials.
A. "Surplus materials" means personal property
including, but not limited to, materials, supplies, equipment, and recyclable
items, but shall not include property as defined in § 2.2-1147 that is
determined to be surplus. Surplus materials shall not include finished products
that a mental health facility or mental retardation facility for
persons with intellectual disabilities sells for the benefit of its
patients or residents, provided that (i) most of the supplies, equipment, or
products have been donated to the facility; (ii) the patients or residents of
the facility have substantially altered the supplies, equipment, or products in
the course of occupational or other therapy; and (iii) the substantial
alterations have resulted in a finished product.
B. The Department shall establish procedures for the disposition of surplus materials from departments, divisions, institutions, and agencies of the Commonwealth. Such procedures shall:
1. Permit surplus materials to be transferred between or sold to departments, divisions, institutions, or agencies of the Commonwealth;
2. Permit surplus materials to be sold to Virginia charitable corporations granted tax-exempt status under § 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and operating as clinics for the indigent and uninsured that are organized for the delivery of primary health care services (i) as federally qualified health centers designated by the Health Care Financing Administration or (ii) at a reduced or sliding fee scale or without charge;
3. Permit public sales or auctions, including online public auctions, provided that the procedures provide for sale to all political subdivisions and any volunteer rescue squad or volunteer fire department established pursuant to § 15.2-955 any surplus materials prior to such public sale or auction;
4. Permit surplus motor vehicles to be sold prior to public sale or auction to local social service departments for the purpose of resale at cost to TANF recipients;
5. Permit surplus materials to be sold to Virginia charitable corporations granted tax-exempt status under § 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and operating as children's homes;
6. Permit donations to political subdivisions of the Commonwealth under the circumstances specified in this section;
7. Permit other methods of disposal when (a) the cost of the sale will exceed the potential revenue to be derived therefrom or (b) the surplus material is not suitable for sale;
8. Permit any dog especially trained for police work to be sold at an appropriate price to the handler who last was in control of the dog, which sale shall not be deemed a violation of the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act (§ 2.2-3100 et seq.);
9. Permit the transfer of surplus clothing to an appropriate department, division, institution, or agency of the Commonwealth for distribution to needy individuals by and through local social services boards;
10. Encourage the recycling of paper products, beverage containers, electronics, and used motor oil;
11. Require the proceeds from any sale or recycling of surplus materials be promptly deposited into the state treasury in accordance with § 2.2-1802 and report the deposit to the State Comptroller;
12. Permit donations of surplus computers and related equipment to public schools in the Commonwealth and Virginia charitable corporations granted tax-exempt status under § 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and providing services to persons with disabilities, at-risk youths, or low-income families. For the purposes of this subdivision, "at-risk youths" means school-age children approved eligible to receive free or reduced price meals in the federally funded lunch program;
13. Permit surplus materials to be transferred or sold, prior to public sale or auction, to public television stations located in the state and other nonprofit organizations approved for the distribution of federal surplus materials;
14. Permit a public institution of higher education to dispose of its surplus materials at the location where the surplus materials are held and to retain any proceeds from such disposal, provided that the institution meets the conditions prescribed in subsection B of § 23-38.88 and § 23-38.112 (regardless of whether or not the institution has been granted any authority under Subchapter 3 (§ 23-38.91 et seq.) of Chapter 4.10 of Title 23); and
15. Require, to the extent practicable, the recycling and disposal of computers and other information technology assets. Additionally, for computers or information technology assets that may contain confidential state data or personal identifying information of citizens of the Commonwealth, the Department shall ensure all policies for the transfer or other disposition of computers or information technology assets are consistent with data and information security policies developed by the Virginia Information Technologies Agency.
C. The Department shall dispose of surplus materials pursuant to the procedures established in subsection B or permit any department, division, institution, or agency of the Commonwealth to dispose of its surplus materials consistent with the procedures so established. No surplus materials shall be disposed of without prior consent of the head of the department, division, institution, or agency of the Commonwealth in possession of such surplus materials or the Governor.
D. Departments, divisions, institutions, or agencies of the Commonwealth or the Governor may donate surplus materials only under the following circumstances:
1. Emergencies declared in accordance with § 44-146.18:2 or 44-146.28;
2. As set forth in the budget bill as defined by § 2.2-1509, provided that (a) the budget bill contains a description of the surplus materials, the method by which the surplus materials shall be distributed, and the anticipated recipients, and (b) such information shall be provided by the Department to the Department of Planning and Budget in sufficient time for inclusion in the budget bill;
3. When the market value of the surplus materials, which shall be donated for a public purpose, is less than $500; however, the total market value of all surplus materials so donated by any department, division, institution, or agency shall not exceed 25 percent of the revenue generated by such department's, division's, institution's, or agency's sale of surplus materials in the fiscal year, except these limits shall not apply in the case of surplus computer equipment and related items donated to Virginia public schools; or
4. During a local emergency, upon written request of the head of a local government or a political subdivision in the Commonwealth to the head of a department, division, institution, or agency.
E. On or before October 1 of each year, the Department shall prepare, and file with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, a plan that describes the expected disposition of surplus materials in the upcoming fiscal year pursuant to subdivision B 6.
§ 2.2-1204. Health insurance program for employees of local governments, local officers, teachers, etc.; definitions.
A. The Department shall establish a plan or plans, hereinafter "plan" or "plans", subject to the approval of the Governor, for providing health insurance coverage for employees of local governments, local officers, teachers, and retirees, and the dependents of such employees, officers, teachers and retirees. The plan or plans shall be rated separately from the plan established pursuant to § 2.2-2818 to provide health and related insurance coverage for state employees. Participation in such insurance plan or plans shall be (i) voluntary, (ii) approved by the participant's respective governing body, or by the local school board in the case of teachers, and (iii) subject to regulations adopted by the Department. In addition, at the option of a governing body or school board that has elected to participate in the health insurance plan or plans offered by the Department, the governing body or school board may elect to participate in the long-term care or other benefit program that the Department may make available to the governing body or school board.
B. The plan established by the Department shall satisfy the requirements of the Virginia Public Procurement Act (§ 2.2-4300 et seq.), shall consist of a flexible benefits structure that permits the creation of multiple plans of benefits and may provide for separate rating groups based upon criteria established by the Department. The Department shall adopt regulations regarding the establishment of such a plan or plans, including, but not limited to, requirements for eligibility, participation, access and egress, mandatory employer contributions and financial reserves, and the administration of the plan or plans. The Department may engage the services of other professional advisors and vendors as necessary for the prudent administration of the plan or plans. The assets of the plan or plans, together with all appropriations, premiums and other payments, shall be deposited in the employee health insurance fund, from which payments for claims, premiums, cost containment programs and administrative expenses shall be withdrawn from time to time. The assets of the fund shall be held for the sole benefit of the employee health insurance fund. The fund shall be held in the state treasury. Any interest on unused balances in the fund shall revert back to the credit of the fund. The State Treasurer shall charge reasonable fees to recover the actual costs of investing the assets of the plan or plans.
In establishing the participation requirements, the Department may provide that those employees, officers, and teachers without access to employer-sponsored health care coverage may participate in the plan. It shall collect all premiums directly from the employers of such employees, officers, and teachers.
C. In the event that the financial reserves of the plan fall to an unacceptably low level as determined by the Department, it shall have the authority to secure from the State Treasurer a loan sufficient to raise the reserve level to one that is considered adequate. The State Treasurer may make such a loan, to be repaid on such terms and conditions as established by him.
D. For the purposes of this section:
"Employees of local governments" shall include all
officers and employees of the governing body of any county, city or town, and
the directing or governing body of any political entity, subdivision, branch or
unit of the Commonwealth or of any commission or public authority or body
corporate created by or under an act of the General Assembly specifying the
power or powers, privileges or authority capable of exercise by the commission
or public authority or body corporate, as distinguished from §§ 15.2-1300,
15.2-1303, or similar statutes, provided that the officers and employees of a
social services department, welfare board, mental health, mental retardationintellectual
disability and substance abuse services board, or library board of a
county, city, or town shall be deemed to be employees of local government.
"Local officer" means the treasurer, registrar, commissioner of the revenue, attorney for the Commonwealth, clerk of a circuit court, sheriff, or constable of any county or city or deputies or employees of any of the preceding local officers.
"Teacher" means any employee of a county, city, or other local public school board.
E. Any stock and cash distributed to the Commonwealth pursuant to the conversion of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia, doing business as Trigon Blue Cross Blue Shield, from a mutual insurance company to a stock corporation known as Trigon Healthcare, Inc., that is directly attributable to the health insurance plan or plans established for employees of local governments, local officers, teachers, and retirees, and the dependents of such employees, officers, teachers and retirees, pursuant t
WHEREAS, Senate Joint Resolution No. 336 (2005) established the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Operations of Circuit Court Clerks' Offices; and
WHEREAS, a number of issues continue to stress the operation of circuit court clerks' offices throughout the Commonwealth, including staffing shortages, security concerns, funding needs, technology-related needs, and numerous other issues; and
WHEREAS, each individual circuit court clerk's office is operated by a constitutional officer and funded through state and local funds; and
WHEREAS, although the General Assembly has provided increases in funding for deputy sheriffs and assistant commonwealth's attorneys, increases in funding have not been provided to circuit court clerks, a key part of the public safety structure in the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, around the Commonwealth, clerks' offices are operating significantly below the level of staffing recommended by the state, causing an overall impediment for clerks to perform their statutory duties; and
WHEREAS, the clerks provide essential services in the Commonwealth requiring that the clerks' offices have adequate personnel and technology to fulfill those critical obligations; and
WHEREAS, the 2007 General Assembly established a requirement for clerks to provide secure remote access to land records on or before July 1, 2008, and a requirement to redact social security numbers from land records on or before July 1, 2010, both of which require implementation, in order to continue to balance efficiencies of operation and the right of remote access of the public with the rights of privacy of citizens of the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, the 2007 General Assembly provided enabling authority for clerks to provide technology to permit electronic recording of land records throughout the Commonwealth, which will require further study over the next several years to completely implement; and
WHEREAS, there still exists overlap in the proper functioning of clerks’ offices with respect to other agencies, such duties relating to fines and costs, concealed weapons permits, and restitution, among other duties, which upon further study could be consolidated and streamlined resulting in efficiencies both in terms of operation and funding; and
WHEREAS, the clerks’ office operations are funded in part by state funds and in part by local funds, and further study of the existing funding of clerks’ offices could result in efficiencies and identification of revenues to ensure proper funding of clerks’ offices; and
WHEREAS, the issues referenced herein are complex and could not be resolved by the normal committee process in the General Assembly; and
WHEREAS, the study to assess the overall operations of clerks' offices in the Commonwealth and to explore how best to address these issues to maintain the level of service expected by the citizenry has not been completed; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Operations of Circuit Court Clerks' Offices be continued. The joint subcommittee shall have a total membership of 13 members that shall consist of six legislative members, five nonlegislative citizen members, and two ex officio members. Members shall be appointed as follows: two members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; four 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; one nonlegislative citizen member who is a circuit court judge appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and recommended by the Judicial Council; one nonlegislative citizen member who is a circuit court clerk to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; one nonlegislative citizen member who is a circuit court judge appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates and recommended by the Judicial Council; and two nonlegislative citizen members who are circuit court clerks to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates. The Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia or his designee and the Executive Secretary of the Compensation Board or his designee shall serve ex officio with nonvoting 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.
Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the Senate. Legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the joint subcommittee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services. 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, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $18,000 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 Senate members or a majority of the House 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, 2008, 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 2009 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 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 each interim.
Additional Data
Explanation
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