                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

(EXPIRES JULY 1, 2027) AUTISM ADVISORY COUNCIL CREATED; PURPOSE; MEMBERSHIP;
STAFF (§ 30-329.1)

A. The Autism Advisory Council (the Council) is established as an advisory
council in the legislative branch of state government to promote coordination of
services and resources among agencies involved in the delivery of services to
Virginians with autism spectrum disorders and to increase public awareness of
such services and resources.

B. The Council shall have a total membership of 25 members that shall consist of
six legislative members, 12 nonlegislative citizen members, and seven ex officio
members. Members shall be appointed as follows: two members of the Senate to be
appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; 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; and 12 nonlegislative citizen members, of whom
(i) two shall be representatives of autism advocacy organizations, (ii) two
shall be parents of children with autism, (iii) two shall be persons with an
autism spectrum disorder, (iv) one shall be a clinician in the autism field, (v)
one shall be a licensed behavior analyst, (vi) one shall be a private day school
director, (vii) one shall be a public school special education director, and
(viii) two shall be representatives from autism programs at an institution of
higher education, to be appointed by the Governor. The Commissioner of
Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Commissioner for Aging and
Rehabilitative Services, the Commissioner of Health, the Commissioner of Social
Services, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Executive Director of
the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities, and the Director of the
Department of Medical Assistance Services, or their designees, shall serve ex
officio with voting privileges. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Council
shall be citizens of the Commonwealth. Unless otherwise approved in writing by
the chairman of the Council and the respective Clerk, nonlegislative citizen
members shall only be reimbursed for travel originating and ending within the
Commonwealth for the purpose of attending meetings.

C. Legislative and ex officio members shall serve terms coincident with their
terms of office. All appointments of nonlegislative citizen members shall be for
four-year terms. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a
term, shall be for the unexpired terms. All members may be reappointed; however,
no 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 term limit. Vacancies shall
be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.
			Legislative members of the Council shall receive such compensation as
provided in &#xA7; 30-19.12 and nonlegislative citizen members shall receive
such compensation as provided in &#xA7; 2.2-2813 for their services. 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.
However, all such compensation and expense payments shall be paid from existing
appropriations to the Council or, if unfunded, shall be approved by the Joint
Rules Committee.

D. The Council shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman annually, who shall be
members of the General Assembly. A majority of the members of the Council shall
constitute a quorum. The Council shall meet no less than five times a year, upon
the call of the chairman or a majority of the members.

E. Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of
the Senate or the Clerk of the House of Delegates, as may be appropriate for the
house in which the chairman serves. The Division of Legislative Services shall
provide legal, research, policy analysis, and other services as requested by the
Council.

F. No recommendation of the Council shall be adopted if a majority of the
legislative members appointed to the Council (i) vote against the recommendation
and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote
of the Council.

HISTORY: 2024, c. 708.