Local government appointees; appointee shall serve at pleasure of local government & may be removed. (HB513)

Introduced By

Del. Rick Morris (R-Carrollton)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Removal of certain local government appointees. Provides that any appointee of a local governing body to a local board, commission, or committee, whether pursuant to 15.2-1411 or any other provision of the Code, shall serve at the pleasure of the local governing body and may be removed at any time. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/06/2014Committee
01/06/2014Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/14 14102507D
01/06/2014Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns
01/09/2014Assigned CC & T sub: #1
02/12/2014Left in Counties, Cities and Towns

Comments

David Bradley writes:

This is a terrible idea and one that limits citizen participation in their government. Will well qualified citizens, that hold differning opinions from the ruling political faction at a local level, volunteer to serve on appointed boards only to be sumarily removed at the whim of a bloc of politicians for no reason other than they don't like something. Not if it is right or wrong merely the ,"pleasure," of the local governing body. This is a carry over from 2013 and HB-1926 that was to consolidate the appointment into the hands of the local governing authority. This bill was aimed at circumventing the results of a referendum vote precipitated by the critics of the selection process of the School Board in Richmond County, VA. The results of the vote were 67%-33% against the proposed change. HB-513 is another attempt to undo an election result that certain people did not like.