KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Virginia

HB1192 • 2026

Virginia-Ireland Advisory Board; established, report.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 30 a chapter numbered 42.2, consisting of sections numbered 30-281.3 and 30-281.4, relating to Virginia-Ireland Advisory Board established; report.</p>

Education
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
O'Quinn
Last action
2026-02-06
Official status
Continued
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify the exact amount or source of funding for the Board, only that it will come from appropriated funds.

Virginia-Ireland Advisory Board

This bill establishes a Virginia-Ireland Advisory Board to advise the governor and state lawmakers on improving economic and cultural ties between Virginia and Ireland.

What This Bill Does

  • Establishes the Virginia-Ireland Advisory Board in the legislative branch of Virginia's government.
  • The board advises the Governor and General Assembly on ways to improve economic and cultural links with Ireland, focusing on commerce and trade, art and education, and general government relations.
  • Requires the board to submit an annual report to the governor and state lawmakers.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Governor of Virginia
  • Members of the General Assembly (state lawmakers)
  • People appointed to the Virginia-Ireland Advisory Board

Terms To Know

Advisory Board
A group that gives advice or recommendations on specific topics.
Legislative branch
The part of the government responsible for making laws, including state lawmakers and the governor in Virginia.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how much money will be given to the board.
  • It is unclear when exactly this bill was enacted or if it has been fully implemented yet.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-06 Rules

    Continued to 2027 in Rules (Voice Vote)

  2. 2026-02-02 Studies Subcommittee

    Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2027 (Voice Vote)

  3. 2026-01-30 Studies Subcommittee

    Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee

  4. 2026-01-22 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1192)

  5. 2026-01-14 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102297D

  6. 2026-01-14 Rules

    Referred to Committee on Rules

Official Summary Text

Virginia-Ireland Advisory Board established; report.
Creates the Virginia-Ireland Advisory Board to advise the Governor and General Assembly on ways to improve economic and cultural links between Virginia and Ireland, with a focus on the areas of commerce and trade, art and education, and general government. The bill requires the Board to submit an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 30 a chapter numbered 42.2, consisting of sections numbered
30-281.3
and
30-281.4
, relating to Virginia-Ireland Advisory Board established; report.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Title 30 a chapter numbered 42.2, consisting of sections numbered
30-281.3
and
30-281.4
, as follows:

C
H
APTER 42.2.

VIRGINIA-IRELAND ADVISORY BOARD.

§

30-281.3
.
Virginia-Ireland Advisory Board; purpose; membership; terms; compensation and expenses; staff.

A.
The Virginia-Ireland Advisory Board (the Board) is established in the legislative branch of state government.
The purpose of the Board is to advise the
Governor and
General Assembly on ways to improve economic and cultural links between the Commonwealth and
Ireland, with a focus on the areas of commerce and trade, art and education, and general government.

B. The Board shall have a total membership of
10
members that shall consist of
five
legislative members and five nonlegislative citizen members. Members shall be appointed as follows: three 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;
two
members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and five nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor
. Such nonlegislative citizen members shall include at least (i) one representative from a public institution of higher education; (ii) one representative from the Virginia Chamber of Commerce; and (iii) two individuals who represent Irish American communities or interests, neither of whom shall be members of the same political party. Nonlegislative citizen members of the
Board
shall be citizens of the Commonwealth.

C.
Legislative members of the Board shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of two years. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. All members of the Board may be reappointed. However, no nonlegislative citizen member shall serve more than four consecutive two-year terms. The remainder of any term to which a member is appointed to fill a vacancy shall not constitute a term in determining the member's eligibility for reappointment. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.

D. The Board shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership. A majority of the
Board's members shall constitute a quorum. The meetings of the Board shall be held at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.

E.
Legislative members of the Board shall receive such compensation as provided in §
30-19.12
, and nonlegislative citizen members shall receive such compensation for performance of their duties as provided in
§
2.2-2813
. All members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§
2.2-2813
and
2.2-2825
.

F. The Joint
Rules Committee shall appoint an executive director to the Board. Funding for the costs of expenses of the members and the operations of the Board, including staffing needs, shall be from
such funds as appropriated by the General Assembly.
All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the
Board, upon request.

§
30-281.4
. Powers and duties of the
B
oard.

The Board shall have the power and duty to:

1. Undertake studies and gather information and data in order to accomplish its purposes as set forth in § 30
-
281.3, and to formulate and present its recommendations to the
Governor and General Assembly;

2. Apply for, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from public, quasi-public, or private sources, including any matching funds as may be designated in the appropriation act, to enable it to better carry out its purposes;

3.
Account annually on its fiscal activities, including any matching funds received or expended by the Board; and

4.
Submit to
the
Governor and 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 shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Board 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.
The Board may make interim reports to the Governor and the General Assembly as it deems advisable
.