14103364D
HOUSE BILL NO. 876
Offered January 8, 2014
Prefiled January 8, 2014
A BILL to amend and reenact §62.1-129 of the Code of
Virginia, relating to the Board of Commissioners of the Virginia Port
Authority.
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Patron-- Jones
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Committee Referral Pending
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §62.1-129 of the Code of Virginia is amended and
reenacted as follows:
§62.1-129. Board of Commissioners; members and officers;
Executive Director; agents and employees.
A. All powers, rights and duties conferred by this chapter, or
other provisions of law, upon the Authority shall be exercised by the Board of
Commissioners of the Virginia Port Authority, hereinafter referred to as Board
or Board of Commissioners. The Board shall consist of the State Treasurer, the
Chief Executive Officer of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, and
11 members appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General
Assembly, who shall
serve at the pleasure of the
Governor and removable from office
during their respective terms by the Governor for
malfeasance, misfeasance, incompetence, or gross neglect of duty.
The terms of members of the Board of Commissioners appointed or reappointed by
the Governor on or after January 1, 1981, shall be for five years. Any
appointment to fill a vacancy shall be for the unexpired term. Members of the
Board shall receive their expenses and shall be compensated at the rate
provided in §2.2-2813 for each day spent on business of the Board. No member
appointed by the Governor shall be eligible to serve more than two successive
terms. A person heretofore or hereafter
appointed to fill a vacancy may be appointed to serve two additional terms.
Beginning with those members of the Board of Commissioners appointed or
reappointed by the Governor on or after January 1, 1981: (i) appointments shall
be made by the Governor in such a manner as to ensure the widest possible
geographical representation of all parts of the Commonwealth, and (ii) no
resident of the Cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk,
Portsmouth, or Virginia Beach shall be eligible for appointment or
reappointment to the Board of Commissioners if his appointment or reappointment
would increase or maintain the number of members of the Board of Commissioners
residing in such cities above the number of four five.
One of the members appointed or reappointed from the cities previously
mentioned in this section shall be a resident of the City of Portsmouth or the
City of Chesapeake, one of the members appointed or reappointed shall be a
resident of the City of Norfolk or the City of Virginia Beach, one of the
members appointed or reappointed shall be a resident of the City of Newport
News or the City of Hampton, one of the members appointed
or reappointed shall be a resident of Greater Hampton Roads, and
one of the members appointed or reappointed shall be a resident of Greater
Hampton Roads, but not a resident of any of the above-mentioned cities.
Additionally, one member shall be appointed from the City of Richmond or the
County of Chesterfield, Hanover, or Henrico to serve as a nonvoting ex officio
member representing the Port of Richmond, and one member shall be appointed
from the City of Winchester or the County of Clarke, Frederick, or Warren to
serve as a nonvoting ex officio member representing the Virginia Inland Port.
Of the members appointed by the Governor, all members shall have executive
level experience and represent one of the following industries: agriculture,
distribution and warehousing, manufacturing, logistics and transportation,
mining, marketing, legal, financial, or transportation infrastructure. In addition, the Governor shall appoint at least
one member with maritime shipping experience from a list of
at least three nominees provided by the Virginia Maritime
Association.
The Board shall elect from its membership a chairman and
vice-chairman and may also elect from its membership, or appoint from its
staff, a secretary and treasurer and prescribe their powers and duties.
The Board of Commissioners shall appoint the chief executive
officer of the Authority, who shall not be a member of the Board, who shall be
known as the Executive Director and who shall serve at the pleasure of the
Board. The Executive Director's compensation from the Commonwealth shall be
fixed by the Board in accordance with law. This compensation shall be
established at a level which will enable the Authority to attract and retain a
capable Executive Director.
The Board may also appoint from the staff an assistant
secretary and an assistant treasurer, who shall, in addition to other duties,
discharge such functions of the secretary and treasurer, respectively, as may
be directed by the Board.
B. The Board may, at its discretion and from time to time,
also form a Maritime Advisory Council, consisting of representatives from the
maritime industry, to provide advice and counsel to the Board of Commissioners
on all matters associated with the Authority with the exception of the annual
budget and personnel matters.
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