                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

VIRGINIA GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY BOARD; MEMBERSHIP; TERMS; COMPENSATION (§
2.2-2485)

A. The Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board is established as a policy board in
the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the Board is to promote
collaborative regional economic and workforce development opportunities and
activities.

B. The Board shall have a total membership of 25 members that shall consist of
seven legislative members, 14 nonlegislative citizen members, and four ex
officio members. Members shall be appointed as follows: four members of the
House of Delegates, consisting of the Chairman of the House Committee on
Appropriations and three members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Delegates; three members of the Senate, consisting of the Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Finance and Appropriations and two members appointed by the Senate
Committee on Rules; two nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the
Speaker of the House of Delegates, who shall be from different regions of the
Commonwealth and have significant private-sector business experience; two
nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules,
who shall be from different regions of the Commonwealth and have significant
private-sector business experience; two nonlegislative citizen members to be
appointed by the Governor, who shall be from different regions of the
Commonwealth and have significant private-sector business experience; and eight
nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor, subject to the
confirmation of the General Assembly, who shall have significant private-sector
business experience. Of the Governor&#8217;s nonlegislative citizen appointments
subject to General Assembly confirmation, no more than two appointees may be
from any one region of the Commonwealth. The Speaker of the House of Delegates
and the Senate Committee on Rules shall submit a list of recommended
nonlegislative citizens with significant private-sector business experience for
the Governor to consider in making his nonlegislative citizen appointments. The
Governor shall also appoint four Secretaries from the following, who shall serve
ex officio with voting privileges: the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry,
the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary
of Labor, and the Secretary of Finance. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be
citizens of the Commonwealth.

C. Legislative members and ex officio members of the Board shall serve terms
coincident with their terms of office. After the initial staggering of terms,
nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of four 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. No House member appointed by the Speaker of the House
shall serve more than four consecutive two-year terms, no Senate member
appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules shall serve more than two consecutive
four-year terms, and 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&#8217;s eligibility for reappointment.

D. The Board shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership.
The chairman shall be a nonlegislative citizen member. A majority of the members
shall constitute a quorum.

E. Any decision by the Board shall require an affirmative vote of a majority of
the members of the Board.

F. Legislative members of the Board shall receive such compensation as provided
in &#xA7; 30-19.12, and nonlegislative citizen members shall receive
compensation as provided in &#xA7; 2.2-2813 for the performance of their duties.
All members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in &#xA7;&#xA7; 2.2-2813
and 2.2-2825.

G. Staff support and technical assistance to the Board and the Governor in
carrying out the provisions of this article shall be provided by the agencies of
the Secretariats of Commerce and Trade, Education, and Finance.

HISTORY: 2016, cc. 778, 779; 2020, c. 738; 2024, cc. 276, 624.