                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE; MEMBERSHIP; TERMS;
COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES; DUTIES (§ 9.1-116.2)

A. The Advisory Committee on Sexual and Domestic Violence (the Advisory
Committee) is established as an advisory committee in the executive branch of
state government. The Advisory Committee shall have the responsibility for
advising and assisting the Board, the Department, all agencies, departments,
boards, and institutions of the Commonwealth, and units of local government, or
combinations thereof, on matters related to the prevention and reduction of
sexual and domestic violence in the Commonwealth, and to promote the efficient
administration of grant funds to state and local programs that work in these
areas.
			The Advisory Committee shall have a total of 19 members consisting of the
following, or their designees: the Commissioner of Social Services; the Director
of the Department of Criminal Justice Services; the Commissioner of Health; the
Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development; the Executive
Director of the Virginia sexual and domestic violence coalition; the Executive
Director of the Virginia Victim Assistance Network; one member of the Senate to
be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; one member of the House of
Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; the Chairman of the
Virginia State Crime Commission; and the Attorney General. The membership shall
also consist of nine nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor,
one of whom shall be a representative of a crime victims&#8217; organization or
a victim of sexual or domestic violence and eight of whom shall be
representatives of local sexual and domestic violence programs. The appointments
of the nonlegislative citizen members shall include racial and ethnic diversity
and shall be representative of regional and geographic locations of the
Commonwealth.
			Legislative members and the agency directors shall serve terms coincident
with their terms of office. All other members shall be citizens of the
Commonwealth and shall serve a term of four years. However, no member shall
serve beyond the time when he holds the office or employment by reason of which
he was initially eligible for appointment.
			The Advisory Committee shall elect its chairman and vice-chairman from among
its members.

B. No member of the Advisory Committee appointed by the Governor shall be
eligible to serve for more than two consecutive full terms.

C. A majority of the members of the Advisory Committee shall constitute a
quorum. The Advisory Committee shall hold no less than four regular meetings a
year. Subject to the requirements of this subsection, the chairman shall fix the
times and places of meetings, either on his own motion or upon written request
of any five members of the Advisory Committee.

D. The Advisory Committee may adopt bylaws for its operation.

E. Members of the Advisory Committee shall not receive compensation, but shall
be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the
performance of their duties as provided in &#xA7; 2.2-2825. Funding for the
costs of the expenses shall be provided from federal or state funds received for
such purposes by the Department.

F. The Advisory Committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

   1. Promote appropriate and effective responses, services, and prevention for
   sexual assault and domestic violence across the Commonwealth; and

   2. Promote strong communication, coordination, and strategy at state,
   regional, and local levels.

G. The Department shall provide staff support to the Advisory Committee. Upon
request, each administrative entity or collegial body within the executive
branch of the state government shall cooperate with the Advisory Committee as it
carries out its responsibilities.

HISTORY: 2015, cc. 222, 402; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 193.