Bill Text: VA SB1618 | 2019 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Telework Promotion and Broadband Assistance, Office of, and Broadband Advisory Council; expiration.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2019-03-21 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0710) [SB1618 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2019-SB1618-Comm_Sub.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §2.2-2699.3 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§2.2-2699.3. (Expires July 1, 2019) Broadband Advisory Council; purpose; membership; compensation; chairman.
A. The Broadband Advisory Council (the Council) is established as an advisory council, within the meaning of §2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the Council shall be to advise the Governor on policy and funding priorities to expedite deployment and reduce the cost of broadband access in the Commonwealth.
B. The Council shall have a total membership of 14
17 members that shall consist of six seven legislative
members, four six nonlegislative citizen members, and four ex
officio members. Members shall be appointed as follows: four 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 three members of the Senate
to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and four six
nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor, of whom one
shall be a representative of the Virginia Cable Telecommunications Association,
one shall be a representative of the Virginia Telecommunications Industry
Association, one shall be a representative from local government recommended by
the Virginia Municipal League and Virginia Association of Counties, and
one shall be a representative of the Virginia Wireless Internet Service
Providers Association, one shall be a representative of a wireless service
authority, and one shall be a representative of the Virginia, Maryland and
Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives. The Secretaries of
Agriculture and Forestry, Commerce and Trade, and Technology, or their
designees, and the executive director of the Center for Rural Virginia shall
serve ex officio. Legislative and ex officio members shall serve terms
coincident with their terms of office. Other members shall be appointed for
terms of two years. 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.
C. Legislative members of the Council shall receive such compensation as provided in §30-19.12. Nonlegislative citizen members shall serve without compensation. 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. Funding for compensation and expenses of legislative members shall be provided by the operating budgets of the Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Clerk of the Senate upon approval of the Joint Rules Committee. Funding for the costs of expenses of the nonlegislative citizen members and all other expenses of the Council shall be provided by the Office of the Secretary of Technology.
D. The Council shall elect a chairman and a vice-chairman annually from among its membership. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The Council shall meet at such times as may be called by the chairman or a majority of the Council.
E. Staff to the Council shall be provided by the Office of Telework Promotion and Broadband Assistance. The Division of Legislative Services shall provide additional staff support to legislative members serving on the Council.
