A. The Secure and Resilient Commonwealth Panel (the Panel) is established as an advisory board, within the meaning of § 2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government. The Panel shall consist of 38 members 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, one of whom shall be the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Safety and one of whom shall be a member of the Subcommittee on Public Safety of the House Committee on Appropriations; two nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; four members of the Senate of Virginia to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one of whom shall be the Chairman of the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology and one of whom shall be a member of the Subcommittee on Public Safety of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations; two nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Secretaries of Administration, Commerce and Trade, Health and Human Resources, Transportation, Public Safety and Homeland Security, and Veterans and Defense Affairs, the State Coordinator of Emergency Management, the Superintendent of State Police, the Adjutant General of the Virginia National Guard, and the State Health Commissioner, or their designees; two local first responders; two local government representatives; two physicians with knowledge of public health; five members from the business or industry sector; and two nonlegislative citizen members from the Commonwealth at large. Except for appointments made by the Speaker of the House of Delegates and the Senate Committee on Rules, all appointments shall be made by the Governor. Additional ex officio members may be appointed to the Panel by the Governor. Legislative members shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office or until their successors shall qualify. Nonlegislative citizen members shall serve for terms of four years. Ex officio members shall serve at the pleasure of the person or entity by whom they were appointed. The Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security shall be the chairman of the Panel.
B. The Panel shall have as its primary focus emergency management and homeland security within the Commonwealth to ensure that prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery programs, initiatives, and activities, both at the state and local levels, are fully integrated, suitable, and effective in addressing risks from man-made and natural disasters. The Panel shall where necessary review, evaluate, and make recommendations concerning implementation of such initiatives. The Panel shall also make such recommendations as it deems necessary to enhance or improve the resiliency of public and private critical infrastructure to mitigate against man-made and natural disasters.
C. The Panel shall carry out the provisions of Title 3, P.L. 99-499. The Panel shall convene at least biennially to discuss (i) changing and persistent risks to the Commonwealth from threats, hazards, vulnerabilities, and consequences and (ii) plans and resources to address those risks.
D. The Panel shall designate an Emergency Management Awareness Group (the Group) consisting of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia, and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Public Safety and the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology to facilitate communication between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of state government. The Group shall convene at the call of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security during a state of emergency to share critical information concerning such situation and the impact on the Commonwealth and its branches of government. The Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security shall (i) advise the Panel whenever the Group meets and (ii) facilitate communication between the Group and the Panel. The Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security shall assist, to the extent provided by law, in obtaining access to classified information for the Group when such information is necessary to enable the Group to perform its duties.
E. Members of the Panel shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties as provided in § 2.2-2825.
F. Staff support for the Panel and funding for the costs of expenses of the members shall be provided by the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security.
G. The Secretary shall facilitate cabinet-level coordination among the various agencies of state government related to emergency preparedness and shall facilitate private sector preparedness and communication.