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An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 30 a chapter numbered 70, consisting of sections numbered
30-454
through
30-457
, relating to Virginia Boys and Men Advisory Commission established; report; emergency.
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 70, consisting of sections numbered
30-454
through
30-457
, as follows:
CHAPTER 70.
VIRGINIA BOYS AND MEN ADVISORY COMMISSION.
§
30-454
. Virginia Boys and Men Advisory Commission; membership; terms; quorum; meetings.
A. The Virginia Boys and Men Advisory Commission (the Commission) is established as an advisory commission in the legislative branch of state government.
B. The Commission shall have a total membership of 18 members that shall consist of 10 legislative members and eight nonlegislative citizen members. Members shall be appointed as follows:
1. Six 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;
2. Four members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and
3. Eight nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor, of whom at least one shall have experience as an elementary or high school administrator, one shall have professional experience within the Virginia Community College System, one shall be a licensed pediatrician, one shall have experience and expertise in public safety, one shall be a board-certified mental health specialist, and one shall be a representative of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, a representative of the Department of Education with a focus on career and technical education, or a member of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Commission shall be citizens of the Commonwealth.
C. Legislative members of the Commission shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. All members may be reappointed.
After the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of four years. No nonlegislative citizen member shall serve more than two consecutive four-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.
D. The Commission shall elect a chair and vice-chair from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly. A majority of the legislative members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum. The meetings of the Commission shall be held at the call of the chair or whenever the majority of the members so request.
§
30-455
. Compensation; expenses.
Legislative members of the Commission shall receive such compensation as provided in §
30-19.12
, and nonlegislative citizen members shall receive compensation for the performance of their duties as provided in §
2.2-2813
. All 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. All other compensation and expenses shall be paid from existing appropriations to the Commission or, if unfunded, shall be approved by the Joint Rules Committee.
§
30-456
. Powers and duties of the Commission; report.
The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
1. Advise the General Assembly regarding the following issues as such issues relate to boys and men in the Commonwealth: education inequity, economic opportunities, disparity in health outcomes, family life, and the impact of social media use.
2. Undertake studies, sponsor symposiums, conduct research, and prepare factual reports in order to gather information to formulate and present recommendations to the General Assembly relating to issues of concern and importance to boys and men in the Commonwealth, with a particular focus on the issues set forth in subdivision 1.
3. Advise the General Assembly as needed regarding any statutory, regulatory, or other issues of importance to boys and men in the Commonwealth, with a particular focus on the issues set forth in subdivision 1.
4. Submit an annual report to the General Assembly and the Governor 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 chair 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 the regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted 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.
§
30-457
. Staffing; sunset.
A. The Office of the Clerk of the house in which the chair of the Commission serves shall provide administrative staff support. The Division of Legislative Services shall provide legal and legislative research and analysis as requested by the Commission.
B. That the provisions of this chapter shall expire on July 1, 2029.
2. That the initial appointments of nonlegislative citizen members by the Governor shall be staggered as follows: three members appointed for terms of two years; three members appointed for terms of three years; and two members appointed for terms of four years.
3. That, in addition to the report required pursuant to §
30-456
of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act, the Commission shall submit a special, one-time report to the General Assembly and the Governor on or before October 1, 2026, consisting of no more than three recommendations, and such report shall be published as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports.
4. That an emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.