Authority: Title 23, Chapter 16, Code of Virginia.

A. It is the objective of the Commonwealth that a standard of 70 percent full-time faculty be established for the Virginia Community College System.

B.1. Out of this appropriation, $250,000 the first year and $250,000 the second year from the general fund is designated for the A. L. Philpott Manufacturing Extension Partnership at Patrick Henry Community College.

2. Out of this appropriation, $350,000 the first year and $350,000 the second year from the general fund is designated for the A. L. Philpott Manufacturing Extension Partnership at Patrick Henry Community College for an ongoing match for a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to develop a manufacturer's assistance program covering most of Virginia.

C. Out of this appropriation, amounts for the following special programs are designated: at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, the Program for the Deaf, $99,300 and 4.0 positions the first year and $99,300 and 4.0 positions the second year from the general fund and the Program for the Mentally Retarded, $140,000 and 4.0 positions the first year and $140,000 and 4.0 positions the second year from the general fund; and, at New River Community College, the Program for the Deaf, $120,500 and 4.0 positions the first year and $120,500 and 4.0 positions the second year from the general fund; and the Program for the Mentally Retarded, $107,200 and 4.5 positions the first year and $107,200 and 4.5 positions the second year from the general fund.

D. Out of this appropriation, $799,196 the first year and $133,199 the second year from the general fund is designated for the fifth and sixth payments for the lease purchase of approximately $3,555,000 of computing and other equipment required for the opening of the Norfolk Campus of Tidewater Community College. In addition, included within the amounts provided for in this Item is $200,000 the first year and $200,000 the second year from the general fund for the fourth and fifth annual payments for the lease purchase of computing and related equipment totaling approximately $816,000 for facilities located at the new Fredericksburg campus of Germanna Community College.

E. Out of this appropriation, $60,000 the first year and $60,000 the second year from the general fund is designated to support the Southwest Virginia Telecommunications Network.

F. Out of this appropriation, $200,000 the first year and $200,000 the second year from the general fund is designated to support the Southwestern Virginia Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center at Wytheville Community College.

G. It is the intent of the General Assembly that funds available to the Virginia Community College System be reallocated to accommodate changes in enrollment and other cost factors at each of the community colleges.

H. Included in Item 291, paragraph C 3 of this act is $9,089,327 from the general fund and $512,750 in nongeneral funds the first year and $8,442,799 from the general fund and $512,750 in nongeneral funds the second year to support the debt service on bonds issued by the Virginia College Building Authority to finance equipment. The Treasury Board shall transfer to the Virginia College Building Authority on July 1, 2000, the amounts in the first year, and on July 1, 2001, the amounts in the second year to support the authority's debt obligation.

I. Out of this appropriation, $185,000 and two positions the first year and $185,000 and two positions the second year from the general fund is designated to enhance the skills of the interpreters for the deaf and hard-of-hearing and to enable them to achieve higher levels of expertise.

J.1. As recommended by House Joint Resolution No. 622 (1997), the Joint Subcommittee to Study Noncredit Education for Workforce Training in the Commonwealth, there are hereby established three statewide Institutes of Excellence, responsible for training in semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and information technology throughout the state.

2. Under the guidance of the Virginia Workforce Council, authorized in Title 9, Chapter 41.1, § 9-329, Code of Virginia, the Virginia Community College System shall submit to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees by November 4 of each year a report detailing the financing, activities, accomplishments and plans for the Institutes of Excellence, the workforce development centers, and other workforce training initiatives funded through this appropriation. The report shall include, but not be limited to:

a. performance measures to be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the workforce recruiters;

b. detailed information on job placements, participation by local governments and the private sector, and other data relevant to the activities of the workforce development centers;

c. the number of grants awarded from the general fund appropriation provided for noncredit instruction, the number of students trained and courses offered, the amounts of local government or private sector funding used to match this appropriation, and the program outcomes; and

d. detailed information on the number of students enrolled and training programs offered through the Institutes of Excellence and workforce development centers; the number of students successfully completing training and education courses, and the types of certifications awarded; the amount or percentage of private funding contributed for the institutes' capital and operating needs; the number of businesses participating in the institutes' programming; the number of students completing the training who were placed in jobs or took action to further their education; and plans to share or broadcast information and classroom instruction to other Virginia Community College campuses and workforce development centers in the Commonwealth.

K. Out of this appropriation, $875,000 and 18 positions the first year and $875,000 and 18 positions the second year from the general fund is provided for staff who will be responsible for coordinating workforce training in the campus service area. The staff will work with local business and industry to determine training needs, coordinate with local economic development personnel, the local workforce training council, and other providers. It is the General Assembly's intent that the Virginia Community College System maximize these positions by encouraging funding matches at the local level.

L. Out of this appropriation, $600,000 and four positions the first year and $600,000 and four positions the second year from the general fund is provided for four workforce training centers: the Peninsula Workforce Development Center (Thomas Nelson Community College), $100,000 each year and 1.0 position; the Regional Center for Applied Technology Training (Danville Community College), $200,000 each year and 1.0 position; a Workforce Development Center at Paul D. Camp Community College, $200,000 each year and 1.0 position; and the Central Virginia Manufacturing Technology Training Center in the Lynchburg area, $100,000 each year and 1.0 position. Each center shall provide a 25 percent match prior to the release of state funding.

M. It is the intent of the General Assembly that noncredit business and industry work-related training courses and programs offered by community colleges be funded at a ratio of 30 percent from the general fund and 70 percent from nongeneral funds. Out of this appropriation, $1,000,000 in the first year and $1,000,000 in the second year from the general fund is designated for this purpose. These funds may be combined with funds of $375,000 per year already included in the Virginia Community College System budget for the "Virginia Works" program. The funds will be allocated on a competitive grant basis, with criteria to include programs that serve small to medium-sized businesses, especially in regions where other education services, either public or proprietary, are not available.

N. Out of this appropriation, $297,596 the first year and $297,596 the second year from the general fund is provided for the third and fourth of five annual lease payments for the purchase of $1,327,000 of equipment for the new Midlothian Campus of John Tyler Community College. Annual payments in years three through five are expected to be $297,596, with a final payment in year six of $99,199.

O. The Virginia Community College System is authorized to charge community college students a technology fee pursuant to § 4-2.01 c of this act. The fee may be determined on a credit hour basis.

P.1. Out of this appropriation, $345,000 the first year and $345,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for the annual lease or rental costs of space in the Botetourt County Education and Training Center at Greenfield. The State Board for Community Colleges may enter into a lease agreement with Botetourt County, its agents or instrumentalities, for the purpose of providing workforce training and retraining facilities and programming, and community education facilities and programming.

2. The form and terms of the agreements shall be approved by the State Board for Community Colleges and the Governor, as otherwise provided by law.

3. The term of such lease or rental agreements shall be for a period not to exceed 20 years from the date of beneficial occupancy.

4. The general fund amounts provided for in this paragraph for workforce training, retraining, programming, and community education facilities shall be matched by local or private sources in a ratio of two-thirds state funds to at least one-third local or private funds, as approved by the State Board for Community Colleges.

5. Prior to the execution of the lease agreement, the plans and specifications for the facilities to be provided shall be approved by the State Board for Community Colleges.

6. This appropriation includes $279,099 the first year and $279,099 the second year from the general fund for the second and third of five annual payments for the lease-purchase of furnishings and equipment totaling $1,240,000 for the Botetourt County Education and Training Center at Greenfield. Annual payments in years four and five are expected to be $279,099, with a final payment in year six of $116,291.

Q. This appropriation includes $108,758 the first year and $108,758 the second year from the general fund for the third and fourth of five annual payments for the lease-purchase of equipment totaling $485,000 for facilities at Piedmont Virginia Community College.

R.1. Out of this appropriation, $330,000 the first year from the general fund is provided for the annual lease or rental costs of space in the Virginia Peninsula Workforce Development Center. The State Board for Community Colleges may enter into lease or rental agreements with other institutions of higher education and other agencies, for the purpose of providing workforce training and retraining facilities and programming, and community education facilities and programming.

2. The form and terms of the agreements shall be approved by the State Board for Community Colleges and the Governor, as otherwise provided by law.

3. The term of such lease or rental agreements shall be for a period not to exceed 20 years from the date of beneficial occupancy.

4. Beginning in the second year, Thomas Nelson Community College shall collect from participating localities in the College's service area a matching contribution of one-third of the operating, maintenance, repair and debt service costs, not to exceed $210,000 annually, of the proportionate share of space (approximately 40%) to be used by the College in the Virginia Peninsula Workforce Development Center.

5. Beginning in the second year, Thomas Nelson Community College shall collect from other institutions of higher education and other agencies lease or rental payments to cover the operating, repair, maintenance and debt service costs of the proportionate share of space (approximately 60%) occupied by such agencies in the Virginia Peninsula Workforce Development Center.

S.1. The State Board for Community Colleges, with the approval of the Governor as otherwise provided by law, is authorized to convey title, or to grant a non-exclusive terminable license to use, to the City of Hampton, its agents or instrumentalities, for certain real property described generally as thirty acres, more or less, of the eastern-most portion of the campus of Thomas Nelson Community College.

2. The conveyance provided in this section is authorized for the beneficial purpose of improving said property for use by the college, and for other workforce development/municipal purposes. The conveyance agreement shall require that should the City of Hampton, its agents or instrumentalities at any time in the future cease using the property for workforce development/municipal purposes, title shall revert to the Commonwealth.

T.1. The total annual lease or rental costs of space in the Phase II facilities of the Norfolk Campus of Tidewater Community College is $750,000 the first year and $750,000 the second year. Of that amount, $10,910 the first year and $12,073 the second year from the general fund shall be paid from this appropriation and $739,010 the first year and $737,963 the second year shall be paid from the appropriation to the Treasury Board in Item 291, paragraph E of this act. The State Board for Community Colleges may enter into a lease agreement with the City of Norfolk, its agents or instrumentalities, for the purpose of providing academic, training and retraining facilities and programming.

2. The form and terms of the agreement shall be approved by the State Board for Community Colleges and the Governor, as otherwise provided by law.

3. The term of such lease or rental agreement shall be for a period not to exceed 20 years from the date of beneficial occupancy.

4. The City of Norfolk, its agents and instrumentalities, shall provide, prior to occupancy, assurances satisfactory to the State Board for Community Colleges that the demised premises are free from hazardous materials and conditions.

5. The agreement shall further provide that the City, its agents or instrumentalities, shall be responsible for all costs relating to landscaping, public streets, sidewalks, lighting, and associated improvements which are reasonably necessary and incidental to the project.

6. Prior to the execution of the lease agreement, the plans and specifications for the facilities to be provided shall be approved by the State Board for Community Colleges.

U. The Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission is authorized to expend up to $3,840,000 the first year and $3,840,000 the second year from the amounts appropriated in Item 545 of this act for replacement of obsolete occupational and technical equipment at community colleges in Southside and Southwest Virginia counties. The Director, Department of Planning and Budget, may transfer up to $3,840,000 the first year and $3,840,000 the second year from the appropriation in Item 545 to this Item upon notification by the Commission that it has acted on this authorization.