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## § 9.1-116.2 – Advisory Committee on Sexual and Domestic Violence; membership; terms; compensation and expenses; duties

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A. The Advisory Committee on Sexual and Domestic Violence (the Advisory Committee) is established as an advisory committee in the executive branch of state government. The Advisory Committee shall have the responsibility for advising and assisting the Board, the Department, all agencies, departments, boards, and institutions of the Commonwealth, and units of local government, or combinations thereof, on matters related to the prevention and reduction of sexual and domestic violence in the Commonwealth, and to promote the efficient administration of grant funds to state and local programs that work in these areas. The Advisory Committee shall have a total of 19 members consisting of the following, or their designees: the Commissioner of Social Services; the Director of the Department of Criminal Justice Services; the Commissioner of Health; the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development; the Executive Director of the Virginia sexual and domestic violence coalition; the Executive Director of the Virginia Victim Assistance Network; one member of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; one member of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; the Chairman of the Virginia State Crime Commission; and the Attorney General. The membership shall also consist of nine nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor, one of whom shall be a representative of a crime victims’ organization or a victim of sexual or domestic violence and eight of whom shall be representatives of local sexual and domestic violence programs. The appointments of the nonlegislative citizen members shall include racial and ethnic diversity and shall be representative of regional and geographic locations of the Commonwealth. Legislative members and the agency directors shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. All other members shall be citizens of the Commonwealth and shall serve a term of four years. However, no member shall serve beyond the time when he holds the office or employment by reason of which he was initially eligible for appointment. The Advisory Committee shall elect its chairman and vice-chairman from among its members.

B. No member of the Advisory Committee appointed by the Governor shall be eligible to serve for more than two consecutive full terms.

C. A majority of the members of the Advisory Committee shall constitute a quorum. The Advisory Committee shall hold no less than four regular meetings a year. Subject to the requirements of this subsection, the chairman shall fix the times and places of meetings, either on his own motion or upon written request of any five members of the Advisory Committee.

D. The Advisory Committee may adopt bylaws for its operation.

E. Members of the Advisory Committee shall not receive compensation, but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in § 2.2-2825. Funding for the costs of the expenses shall be provided from federal or state funds received for such purposes by the Department.

F. The Advisory Committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Promote appropriate and effective responses, services, and prevention for sexual assault and domestic violence across the Commonwealth; and

2. Promote strong communication, coordination, and strategy at state, regional, and local levels.

G. The Department shall provide staff support to the Advisory Committee. Upon request, each administrative entity or collegial body within the executive branch of the state government shall cooperate with the Advisory Committee as it carries out its responsibilities.