                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

VETERANS SERVICES FOUNDATION; PURPOSE; REPORT; MEMBERSHIP; TERMS; COMPENSATION;
STAFF (§ 2.2-2715)

A. The Veterans Services Foundation (the Foundation) is established as an
independent body politic and corporate agency of the Commonwealth supporting the
interests of veterans and their families and contributors through the Secretary
of Veterans and Defense Affairs and the programs and services of the Department
of Veterans Services. The Foundation shall be governed and administered by a
board of trustees who may be assisted in the administration of the Foundation by
principal staff members, agents, and advisors. The membership of the Foundation
shall be composed of the board of trustees, supporting staff, agents, advisors,
donors, volunteers, and other interested parties.

B. The Foundation shall (i) administer the Veterans Services Fund (the Fund),
(ii) provide funding for veterans services and programs in the Commonwealth
through the Fund, and (iii) accept and raise revenue from all sources, including
private source fundraising, to support the Fund. The Foundation shall submit a
quarterly report to the Commissioner of Veterans Services on the
Foundation&#8217;s funding levels and services and an annual report to the
Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs and the General Assembly on or before
November 30 of each year. The quarterly report shall be submitted
electronically. The annual report to the General Assembly shall be submitted for
publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division
of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and
reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly&#8217;s website.

C. The board of trustees of the Foundation shall consist of the Secretary of
Veterans and Defense Affairs and the Chairmen of the Board of Veterans Services
and the Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations or their
designees, who shall serve as ex officio voting trustees, and 16 trustees to be
appointed as follows: eight nonlegislative citizens appointed by the Governor;
five nonlegislative citizens appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates;
and three nonlegislative citizens appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. A
majority of the appointed trustees shall be active or retired chairmen, chief
executive officers, or chief financial officers for large private corporations
or nonprofit organizations or individuals who have extensive fundraising
experience in the private sector. Trustees appointed shall, insofar as possible,
be veterans. Each appointing authority shall endeavor to ensure a balanced
representation of the armed services among the officer and enlisted ranks and
geographical representation on the board of trustees to facilitate fundraising
efforts across the state.
			Trustees 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.
All trustees may be reappointed. However, no trustee shall serve more than two
consecutive four-year terms. The remainder of any term to which a trustee is
appointed to fill a vacancy shall not constitute a term in determining the
trustee&#8217;s eligibility for reappointment. Vacancies shall be filled in the
same manner as the original appointments. Any trustee may be removed at the
pleasure of the appointing authority.

D. Trustees shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred while
attending meetings of the trustees or performing other duties. However, such
reimbursement shall not exceed the per diem rate established for members of the
General Assembly pursuant to &#xA7; 30-19.12.

E. The Department of Veterans Services shall provide the Foundation with
administrative and staff support and other services.

F. The trustees shall adopt bylaws governing their organization and procedures
and may amend the same. The trustees shall elect a chairman and such other
officers as their bylaws may provide. Ex officio trustees who serve as the
chairman of another board shall not be eligible to serve as chairman. The
trustees shall meet four times a year at such times as they deem appropriate or
on call of the chairman. A majority of the voting trustees of the board of
trustees shall constitute a quorum.

G. The Department of Veterans Services shall provide qualified finance and
development personnel to perform the duties of the treasurer and secretary of
the Foundation in accordance with the Foundation&#8217;s directives. Individuals
appointed to perform the duties of treasurer and secretary pursuant to this
subsection shall be ex officio, nonvoting officers of the board of trustees.

H. The provisions of the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act
(&#xA7; 2.2-3100 et seq.) shall apply to the members of the board of trustees
and the employees of the Foundation.

HISTORY: 2003, cc. 657, 670; 2004, c. 697; 2006, c. 150; 2008, cc. 467, 486,
768, 872; 2009, c. 368; 2010, c. 64; 2011, cc. 780, 795, 858; 2014, cc. 115,
490; 2015, c. 137; 2016, c. 321; 2017, cc. 505, 622; 2020, c. 1128.