Bill Text: VA SB407 | 2020 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: American Revolutionary 250 Commission; established, membership, report, sunset provision.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2020-04-09 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0915) [SB407 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2020-SB407-Prefiled.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 25 of Title 2.2 an article numbered 11, consisting of sections numbered 2.2-2544 through 2.2-2549, as follows:
§2.2-2544. Virginia Revolutionary 250 Commission; purpose.
The Virginia Revolutionary 250 Commission (the Commission) is established as an advisory commission within the executive branch of state government.
The purpose of the Commission is to plan, develop, and perform programs and activities to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, and the independence of the United States.
§2.2-2545. Membership; terms; quorum; meetings.
A. The Commission shall have a total membership of 24 members that shall consist of four legislative members, 12 nonlegislative citizen members, and eight ex officio members. Members shall be appointed as follows: (i) two members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; (ii) two 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; (iii) two nonlegislative citizen members who are members of a Virginia Indian Tribe to be appointed by the Governor; and (iv) 10 nonlegislative citizen members, consisting of one representative of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, George Washington's Mount Vernon, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, James Madison's Montpelier, the American Battlefield Trust, the Colonial National Historical Park, the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, the Office of Historic Alexandria, Preservation Virginia, and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, to be appointed by the Governor. The Secretary of Education, or his designee, and the directors of the following state agencies, or their designees, shall serve as ex officio members with voting privileges: Gunston Hall, the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the Library of Virginia, the Department of Historic Resources, the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia, Virginia Humanities, and the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Commission shall be citizens of the Commonwealth.
B. Legislative members and ex officio members of the Commission shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for the duration of the Commission's activities. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Legislative members may be reappointed. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.
C. The Commission shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. Meetings of the Commission shall be held at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.
§2.2-2546. Compensation; expenses.
Legislative members of the Commission shall receive such compensation as provided in §30-19.12. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. Compensation to members of the General Assembly for attendance at official meetings of the Commission shall be paid by the offices of the Clerk of the House of Delegates or Clerk of the Senate, as applicable. Reimbursement for the reasonable and necessary expenses of nonlegislative citizen members of the Commission shall be paid by the Secretary of Education.
§2.2-2547. Powers and duties of the Commission.
The Commission shall have the power and duty to:
1. Formulate and implement a program for the inclusive observance of the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States and the Revolutionary War in Virginia, including (i) civic education concerning the ideals of the American Revolution and their contemporary relevance; (ii) visitation of museums and historic sites, including battlefields; (iii) publication of historical documents and studies; (iv) cooperation with agencies responsible for the preservation or restoration of historic sites, buildings, art, and artifacts; (v) exhibitions and interpretive and wayfinding signage; (vi) improvement of museum and educational facilities; (vii) arrangement of appropriate public ceremonies; (viii) development of a comprehensive marketing and tourism campaign encompassing calendar year 2025 through calendar year 2026; and (ix) providing for the general dissemination of public information regarding Virginia's involvement in the American Revolution;
2. Submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual report for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports. The chairman of the Commission shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Commission no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted for publication as a report document 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;
3. Solicit, accept, use, and dispose of funds appropriated by the General Assembly and any gifts, grants, donations, bequests, or other funds received by the Commission for the purpose of aiding or facilitating its work; and
4. Perform such other duties, functions, and activities as may be necessary to facilitate and implement the objectives of the Commission.
§2.2-2548. Staffing.
The Virginia Museum of History & Culture and Gunston Hall shall provide staff support to the Commission and coordinate all of its activities, including the activities of any committees of the Commission. Every department, division, board, bureau, commission, authority, or political subdivision of the Commonwealth shall cooperate with, and provide assistance to, the Commission, upon request.
§2.2-2549. Sunset.
This chapter shall expire on July 1, 2027.
