                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

FORMATION OF REGIONAL COUNCILS (§ 2.2-2488)

A. A regional council may be established in each region identified by the Board.
Regional councils shall solicit, review, and recommend regional activity
projects to the Board in accordance with this article.

B. When there is no certified regional council in existence in a region, the
Board may provide for the formation of a regional council by designating a
formation committee chairman and two members from the region. The formation
committee chairman shall be a nonlegislative citizen member of the Board, and
the chairman may designate up to two additional members of the formation
committee. The formation committee shall be responsible for such consultation
and recruitment within the region as is likely to result in certification of a
regional council for the region. The formation committee chairman and members
may serve as officers and members of the regional council.

C. A regional council shall include representatives from (i) the education
sector, including school divisions, community colleges, and public institutions
of higher education; (ii) the economic and workforce development sector; (iii)
local government; (iv) planning district commissions; (v) nonprofit
organizations; and (vi) other entities that significantly affect regional
economic or workforce development. Membership may include one or more
nonlegislative citizen members of the Board from the region. A majority of the
members of a regional council shall be from the private sector with demonstrated
significant private-sector business experience. A regional council shall be
chaired by a citizen member from the region with significant private-sector
business experience.

D. The Board shall certify that the regional council member selection process,
membership, governance, structure, composition, and leadership meet the
requirements of this article and the program guidelines and procedures. The
Board shall certify that the regional council has adopted bylaws and taken other
such steps in its organizational activities and business plan as are necessary
or required by Board guidelines and procedures to provide for accountability for
and oversight of regional activities funded from the Fund.

E. Public comment shall be received by the Board when certifying a regional
council.

HISTORY: 2016, cc. 778, 779.