Authority: Title 30, Chapters 7 and 8, Code of Virginia.

A. Out of this appropriation shall be paid the annual salary of the Director, Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), $206,186 from June 10, 2024 to June 9, 2025 and $212,372 from June 10, 2025 to June 30, 2026.

B. Expenses associated with the oversight responsibility of the Virginia Retirement System by JLARC and the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees shall be reimbursed by the Virginia Retirement System upon documentation by the Director, JLARC of the expenses incurred.

C. Out of this appropriation, funds are provided to continue the technical support staff of JLARC, in order to assist with legislative fiscal impact analysis when an impact statement is referred from the Chairman of a standing committee of the House or Senate, and to conduct oversight of the expenditure forecasting process. Pursuant to existing statutory authority, all agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide access to information necessary to accomplish these duties.

D.1. The General Assembly hereby designates the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to review and evaluate the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) on a continuing basis and to make such special studies and reports as may be requested by the General Assembly, the House Appropriations Committee, or the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee.

2. The areas of review and evaluation to be conducted by the Commission shall include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) VITA's infrastructure outsourcing contracts and any amendments thereto; (ii) adequacy of VITA's planning and oversight responsibilities, including VITA's oversight of information technology projects and the security of governmental information; (iii) cost-effectiveness and adequacy of VITA's procurement services and its oversight of the procurement activities of State agencies.

3. For the purpose of carrying out its duties and notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, JLARC shall have the legal authority to access the information, records, facilities, and employees of VITA.

4. Records provided to VITA by a private entity pertaining to VITA's comprehensive infrastructure agreement or any successor contract, or any contractual amendments thereto for the operation of the Commonwealth's information technology infrastructure shall be exempt from the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.), to the extent that such records contain (i) trade secrets of the private entity as defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (§ 59.1-336 et seq.) or (ii) financial records of the private entity, including balance sheets and financial statements, that are not generally available to the public through regulatory disclosure or otherwise. In order for the records specified in clauses (i) and (ii) to be excluded from the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, the private entity shall make a written request to VITA:

a. Invoking such exclusion upon submission of the data or other materials for which protection from disclosure is sought;

b. Identifying with specificity the data or other materials for which protection is sought; and

c. Stating the reasons why protection is necessary.

VITA shall determine whether the requested exclusion from disclosure is necessary to protect the trade secrets or financial records of the private entity. VITA shall make a written determination of the nature and scope of the protection to be afforded by it under this subdivision. Once a written determination is made by VITA, the records afforded protection under this subdivision shall continue to be protected from disclosure when in the possession of VITA or JLARC.

Except as specifically provided in this item, nothing in this item shall be construed to authorize the withholding of (a) procurement records as required by § 56-575.17; (b) information concerning the terms and conditions of any interim or comprehensive agreement, service contract, lease, partnership, or any agreement of any kind entered into by VITA and the private entity; (c) information concerning the terms and conditions of any financing arrangement that involves the use of any public funds; or (d) information concerning the performance of the private entity under the comprehensive infrastructure agreement, or any successor contract, or any contractual amendments thereto for the operation of the Commonwealth's information technology infrastructure.

5. The Chairman of JLARC may appoint a permanent subcommittee to provide guidance and direction for VITA review and evaluation activities, subject to the full Commission's supervision and such guidelines as the Commission itself may provide.

6. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall cooperate as requested by JLARC in the performance of its duties under this authority.

E.1. The General Assembly hereby designates the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to conduct, on a continuing basis, a review and evaluation of economic development initiatives and policies and to make such special studies and reports as may be requested by the General Assembly, the House Appropriations Committee, or the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee.

2. The areas of review and evaluation to be conducted by the Commission shall include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) spending on and performance of individual economic development incentives, including grants, tax preferences, and other assistance; (ii) economic benefits to Virginia of total spending on economic development initiatives at least biennially; (iii) effectiveness, value to taxpayers, and economic benefits to Virginia of individual economic development initiatives on a cycle approved by the Commission; and (iv) design, oversight, and accountability of economic development entities, initiatives, and policies as needed.

3. For the purpose of carrying out its duties under this authority and notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, JLARC shall have the legal authority to access the facilities, employees, information, and records, including confidential information, and the public and executive session meetings and records of the board of VEDP, involved in economic development initiatives and policies for the purpose of carrying out such duties in accordance with the established standards, processes, and practices exercised by JLARC pursuant to its statutory authority. Access shall include the right to attend such meetings for the purpose of carrying out such duties. Any non-disclosure agreement that VEDP enters into on or after July 1, 2016, for the provision of confidential and proprietary information to VEDP by a third party shall require that JLARC also be allowed access to such information for the purposes of carrying out its duties.

4. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A or B of § 58.1-3 or any other provision of law, unless prohibited by federal law, an agreement with a federal entity, or a court decree, the Tax Commissioner is authorized to provide to JLARC such tax information as may be necessary to conduct oversight of economic development initiatives and policies.

5. The following records shall be excluded from the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.), and shall not be disclosed by JLARC:

(a) records provided by a public body as defined in § 2.2-3701, Code of Virginia, to JLARC in connection with its oversight of economic development initiatives and policies, where the records would not be subject to disclosure by the public body providing the records. The public body providing the records to JLARC shall identify the specific portion of the records to be protected and the applicable provision of the Freedom of Information Act or other provision of law that excludes the record or portions thereof from mandatory disclosure.

(b) confidential proprietary records provided by private entities pursuant to a promise of confidentiality from JLARC, used by JLARC in connection with its oversight of economic development initiatives and policies where, if such records are made public, the financial interest of the private entity would be adversely affected.

6. By August 15 of each year, the Secretary of Commerce and Trade shall provide to JLARC all information collected pursuant to § 2.2-206.2, Code of Virginia, in a format and manner specified by JLARC to ensure that the final report to be submitted by the Secretary fulfills the intent of the General Assembly and provides the data and evaluation in a meaningful manner for decision-makers.

7. JLARC shall assist the agencies submitting information to the Secretary of Commerce and Trade pursuant to the provisions of § 2.2-206.2, Code of Virginia, to ensure that the agencies work together to effectively develop standard definitions and measures for the data required to be reported and facilitate the development of appropriate unique project identifiers to be used by the impacted agencies.

8. The Chairman of JLARC may appoint a permanent subcommittee to provide guidance and direction for ongoing review and evaluation activities, subject to the full Commission's supervision and such guidelines as the Commission itself may provide.

9. JLARC may employ on a consulting basis such professional or technical experts as may be reasonably necessary for the Commission to fulfill its responsibilities under this authority.

10. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall cooperate as requested by JLARC in the performance of its duties under this authority.

F. Notwithstanding the salaries listed in paragraph A. of this item, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) may establish a salary range for the Director of JLARC.

G.1. The General Assembly hereby designates the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to review and evaluate the agencies and programs under the Secretary of Health and Human Resources (HHR) on a continuing basis.

2. Review and evaluation work shall be directed by JLARC in consultation with the Joint Committee for Health and Human Resources Oversight.

3. Review and evaluation shall include, but not be limited to (i) studies of agencies or programs; (ii) targeted analysis of spending trends and other issues warranting examination; and (iii) assessment of the soundness and accuracy of population and spending forecasts, including the process, assumptions, methodology, and results.

4. For the purpose of carrying out its duties and notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, JLARC shall have the legal authority to access the information, records, facilities, and employees of all agencies within the HHR secretariat.

5. The following records shall be excluded from the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.), and shall not be disclosed by JLARC:

(a) records provided by a public body as defined in § 2.2-3701, Code of Virginia, to JLARC in connection with its evaluation of agencies and programs within the HHR secretariat, where the records would not be subject to disclosure by the public body providing the records. The public body providing the records to JLARC shall identify the specific portion of the records to be protected and the applicable provision of the Freedom of Information Act or other provision of law that excludes the record or portions thereof from mandatory disclosure.

(b) confidential proprietary records provided by private entities pursuant to a promise of confidentiality from JLARC, used by JLARC in connection with its evaluation of agencies and programs within the HHR secretariat where, if such records are made public, the financial interest of the private entity would be adversely affected.

6. The Chairman of JLARC may appoint a permanent subcommittee to provide guidance and direction for ongoing review and evaluation of agencies and programs within the HHR secretariat, subject to the full Commission's supervision and such guidelines as the Commission itself may provide.

7. JLARC may employ on a consulting basis such professional or technical experts as may be reasonably necessary for the Commission to fulfill its responsibilities under this authority.

8. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall cooperate as requested by JLARC in the performance of its duties under this authority.

H. The clerk of each circuit court shall provide the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission with all case data in an electronic format from its own case management system or the statewide Circuit Case Management System upon request of the Commission. If the statewide Circuit Case Management System is used by the clerk, when requested by the Commission, the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court shall provide for the transfer of such data to the Commission. The Commission may use the data for research, evaluation, or statistical purposes only and shall ensure the confidentiality and security of the data. The Commission shall only publish analyses based on this data as needed for its reports, fiscal impact reviews, or racial and ethnic impact statements as required by the General Assembly. The Commission shall not publish personal or case identifying information, including names, social security numbers and dates of birth, which may be included in the data from a case management system. Upon transfer to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, such data shall not be subject to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Except for the publishing of personal or case identifying information, including names, social security numbers and dates of birth, the restrictions in this section shall not prohibit the Commission from sharing aggregate data in reports, fiscal impact reviews, or racial and ethnic impact statements.

I. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall engage, on a limited basis, the professional and technical consultants retained for the November 2019 Report "Gaming in the Commonwealth" for a limited review of the potential state and local revenues that may be generated from a casino located in the City of Petersburg, including any potential negative revenue impact on casinos located in other authorized host cities.