                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

 TRAINING PROGRAMS (§ 45.2-580)

A. The Department may administer training programs for the purpose of (i)
assisting with the provision of selected requirements of the federal mine safety
law and (ii) preparing miners for examinations administered by the Board of Coal
Mining Examiners. The Director shall establish the curriculum and teaching
materials for the training programs, which shall be consistent with the
requirements of the federal mine safety law where feasible.

B. The Department is authorized to charge persons attending the training
programs reasonable fees to cover the costs of administering such programs. The
Director may exempt certain persons from any required fees for refresher
training programs, based on the person&#8217;s employment status or such other
criteria as the Director deems appropriate. The Director shall not be required
to allocate more of the Department&#8217;s resources to training programs than
are appropriated or otherwise made available for such purpose or are collected
from fees charged to attendees.

C. No miner, operator, or other person shall be required to participate in any
training program established under this article. Nothing contained herein shall
prevent an operator or any other person from administering a state-approved
training program.

HISTORY: 1994, c. 28, § 45.1-161.102; 1997, c. 390; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.