Saturday, November 22, 2008
The General Assembly is not in session.
Tracking Virginia’s General Assembly
since 2007.
SJ68: School facilities; joint subcommittee to study state assistance to localities for financing, etc.
WHEREAS, public school divisions are experiencing school facility construction cost inflation rates that exceed eight percent; and
WHEREAS, many school divisions must compete with developers for the acquisition of land, and the competition substantially escalates their land acquisition costs; and
WHEREAS, many school divisions may incur over $1 billion in school construction and renovation costs over the next decade due to student population growth; and
WHEREAS, school divisions urgently need innovative financing mechanisms that allow them to meet the increasing demand for facilities and the escalating costs of school construction and renovation; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring,
That a joint subcommittee be established to study the level of state assistance
to localities to assist with financing land acquisition, and the construction
and renovation of school facilities. The joint subcommittee shall have a total
membership of [ 13 11 ] members that shall consist
of eight legislative members [ , two nonlegislative citizen members,
] and three ex officio members. Members shall be appointed as follows:
three members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules;
[ and ] five 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 with expertise in bond financing to be appointed
by the Senate Committee on Rules; and one nonlegislative citizen member with
expertise in school design and construction or public school capital funding to
be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates
] . The Lieutenant Governor, the Secretary of Finance, and the Superintendent
of Public Instruction 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.
In its deliberations, the joint subcommittee shall provide for the
contributions and participation of persons with expertise in bond financing,
school design and construction, and public school capital funding. These
persons shall contribute and participate in the manner deemed appropriate by
the joint subcommittee in the furtherance of its work. ] 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 ascertain alternative methods of financing the construction and renovation of public school facilities in Virginia, including the feasibility of public-private partnerships.
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. Technical assistance shall be provided by the Department of Education, the Department of Treasury, and the staffs of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance. 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
2008 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $ [ 8,800
8,000 ] 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 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, 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 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 2008 and 2009 interims.
WHEREAS, public school divisions are experiencing school facility construction cost inflation rates that exceed eight percent; and
WHEREAS, many school divisions must compete with developers for the acquisition of land, and the competition substantially escalates their land acquisition costs; and
WHEREAS, many school divisions may incur over $1 billion in school construction and renovation costs over the next decade due to student population growth; and
WHEREAS, school divisions urgently need innovative financing mechanisms that allow them to meet the increasing demand for facilities and the escalating costs of school construction and renovation; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That a joint subcommittee be established to study the level of state assistance to localities to assist with financing land acquisition, and the construction and renovation of school facilities. The joint subcommittee shall have a total membership of 13 members that shall consist of eight legislative members, two nonlegislative citizen members, and three ex officio members. Members shall be appointed as follows: three members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; five 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 with expertise in bond financing to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and one nonlegislative citizen member with expertise in school design and construction or public school capital funding to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates. The Lieutenant Governor, the Secretary of Finance, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction 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 ascertain alternative methods of financing the construction and renovation of public school facilities in Virginia, including the feasibility of public-private partnerships.
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. Technical assistance shall be provided by the Department of Education, the Department of Treasury, and the staffs of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance. 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 2008 interim, and the direct costs of this study shall not exceed $8,800 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, 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 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 2008 and 2009 interims.
Additional Data
Explanation
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