HJ688: Study; joint committee to study the expansion of the Norfolk Airport Authority membership.

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 688

Offered January 11, 2017
Prefiled January 10, 2017
Establishing a joint committee of the House Committee on Transportation and the Senate Committee on Transportation to study the expansion of the Norfolk Airport Authority membership. Report.
Patron-- Villanueva

Committee Referral Pending

WHEREAS, the Norfolk International Airport is operated by the Norfolk Airport Authority, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is an independent autonomous agency of the City of Norfolk; and

WHEREAS, the Norfolk Airport Authority is governed by a Board of Commissioners consisting of up to nine members appointed by the Norfolk City Council for four-year terms and an Executive Director overseeing day-to-day operations; and

WHEREAS, by contrast, Richmond International Airport is operated by the Capital Region Airport Commission, consisting of 14 commissioners appointed from four Richmond-area jurisdictions, including the City of Richmond and the Counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico; and

WHEREAS, the Norfolk International Airport serves the Greater Hampton Roads area, and the Board of Commissioners should reflect the region as a whole and not simply one jurisdiction; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That a joint committee of the House Committee on Transportation and the Senate Committee on Transportation be established to study the expansion of the Norfolk Airport Authority membership. The joint committee shall have a total membership of 10 members, consisting of six members of the House Committee on Transportation to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates upon the recommendation of the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and four members of the Senate Committee on Transportation to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules upon the recommendation of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Transportation. The joint committee shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership.

In conducting its study, the joint committee shall review and analyze the cost-sharing mechanism utilized by the Capital Region Airport Commission and its possible application to the Norfolk Airport Authority.

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 committee shall be provided by the Division of Legislative Services. Technical assistance shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint committee for this study, upon request.

The joint committee shall be limited to four meetings for the 2017 interim and the costs shall not exceed $18,800 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 committee 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 committee shall be adopted if a majority of the House members or a majority of the Senate members of the joint committee (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the joint committee.

The joint committee shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2017, and the chairman shall submit an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2018 Regular Session of the General Assembly to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems. The executive summary shall state whether the joint committee 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 2017 interim.