Authority: Article IV, Constitution of Virginia.

A. Out of this appropriation, the House of Delegates is funded $40,148,969 the first year and $39,359,683 the second year from the general fund. The Senate is funded $26,706,856 the first year and $25,921,142 the second year from the general fund.

B. Out of this appropriation shall be paid:

1. The salaries of the Speaker of the House of Delegates and other members, and personnel employed by each House; the mileage of members, officers and employees, including salaries and mileage of members of legislative committees sitting during recess; public printing and related expenses required by or for the General Assembly; and the incidental expenses of the General Assembly (§§ 30-19.11 through 30-19.20, inclusive, and § 30-19.4, Code of Virginia). The salary of the Speaker of the House of Delegates shall be $36,321 per year. The salaries of other members of the House of Delegates shall be $17,640 per year. The salaries of the members of the Senate shall be $18,000 per year.

2. Expenses of the Speaker of the House of Delegates not otherwise reimbursed, $16,200 each year, to be paid in equal monthly installments during the year.

3. In accordance with § 30-19.4, Code of Virginia, and subject to all other conditions of that section except as otherwise provided in the following paragraphs:

a. $126,160 per calendar year for the compensation of one or more secretaries of the Speaker of the House of Delegates. Salary increases shall be governed by the provisions of Item 469 of this act.

b. $344,216 per calendar year for the compensation of one or more legislative assistants of the Speaker of the House of Delegates. Salary increases shall be governed by the provisions of Item 469 of this act.

c. $240,613 per calendar year for the compensation of one or more secretaries or legislative assistants for the Senate majority and minority leadership, as determined by the Majority Leader in consultation with the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules. Salary increases shall be governed by the provisions of Item 469 of this act.

d.1. $52,102 per calendar year for the compensation of legislative assistants for each member of the House of Delegates and $60,409 for the compensation of legislative assistants for each member of the Senate. Salary increases granted shall be governed by the provisions of Item 469 of this act.

2. In addition, $19,538 per calendar year for each member of the House of Delegates and $11,583 per calendar year for each member of the Senate to provide compensation for additional legislative assistant support costs incurred during the legislative session and in the operation of legislative offices within members' districts. Salary increases granted shall be governed by the provisions of Item 469 of this act.

e. The per diem for each legislative assistant of each member of the General Assembly, including the Speaker of the House of Delegates. Such per diem shall equal the amount authorized per session day for General Assembly members in paragraph B.5, if such legislative assistant maintains a temporary residence during the legislative session or an extension thereof and if the establishment of such temporary residence results from the person's employment by the member. The per diem for a legislative assistant who is domiciled in the City of Richmond or whose domicile is within twenty miles of the Capitol shall equal thirty-five percent of the amount paid to a legislative assistant who maintains a temporary residence during such session. For purposes of this paragraph, (i) a session day shall include such days as shall be established by the Rules Committee of each respective House and (ii) a temporary residence is defined as a residence certified by the member served by the legislative assistant as occupied only by reason of employment during the legislative session or extension thereof. Notwithstanding the provisions of (i) of the preceding sentence, if the House from which the legislative assistant is paid is in adjournment during a regular or special session, he must show to the satisfaction of the Clerk that he worked each day during such adjournment for which such per diem is claimed.

f. A mileage allowance as provided in § 2.2-2823 A, Code of Virginia, and as certified by the member. Such mileage allowance shall be paid to a legislative assistant for one round trip between the City of Richmond and such person's home each week during the legislative session or an extension thereof when such person is maintaining a temporary residence.

g. Per diem and mileage shall be paid only to a person who is paid compensation pursuant to § 30-19.4, Code of Virginia.

h. Not more than one person shall be paid per diem or mileage during a single weekly pay period for serving a member as legislative assistant during a legislative session or extension thereof.

i. No person, by virtue of concurrently serving more than one member, shall be paid mileage or per diem in excess of the daily rates specified in this Item.

j. $83,336 per calendar year additional allowance for secretaries or legislative assistants to the Majority and Minority Leaders of the House of Delegates and the Senate and for secretaries or legislative assistants to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules, and to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees. Salary increases shall be governed by the provisions of Item 469 of this act.

4.a All compensation and reimbursement of expenses to members of the General Assembly and non-General Assembly members for attending a meeting described in paragraphs B.4.c., B.4.d., B.5., and B.6. shall be paid solely as provided pursuant to this item.

b. The provisions of paragraphs B.4.c. and B.4.d. of this item shall not apply during any regular session of the General Assembly or extension thereof, or during any special session of the General Assembly; provided, however, that the provisions of such paragraphs shall apply during any recess of the same.

c. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each General Assembly member shall receive compensation for each day, or portion thereof, of attendance at an official meeting of any joint subcommittee, board, commission, authority, council, compact, or other body that has been created or established by the General Assembly or by resolution of a house of the General Assembly, provided that the member has been appointed to, or designated an official member of, such joint subcommittee, board, commission, authority, council, compact, or other body pursuant to an act of the General Assembly or a resolution of a house of the General Assembly that provides for the appointment or designation.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each General Assembly member shall also receive compensation for each day, or portion thereof, of attendance at an official meeting of (i) any standing committee or subcommittee thereof of the House of Delegates to which the member has been appointed, (ii) any standing committee or subcommittee thereof or Committee on Rules of the Senate to which the member has been appointed, or (iii) the Joint Rules Committee of the General Assembly. Any official meeting of a subcommittee of any of the committees described in clauses (i), (ii), or (iii) shall also be an official meeting for which the member shall receive compensation.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any General Assembly member whose attendance, in the written opinion of the chairman of (a) any joint subcommittee, board, commission, authority, council, or other body that has been created or established in the legislative branch of state government by the General Assembly or by resolution of a house of the General Assembly; (b) any such standing committee of the House of Delegates or of the Senate; (c) the Committee on Rules of the Senate; or (d) the Joint Rules Committee of the General Assembly, is required at an official meeting of the body shall also receive compensation for each day, or portion thereof, of attendance at such official meeting.

Any General Assembly member receiving compensation pursuant to this paragraph for attending an official meeting shall be reimbursed for his or her reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in attending such meeting. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the reimbursement shall be provided by the respective body holding the meeting or by the entity that supports the work of the body.

d. Compensation to General Assembly members for attendance at any official meeting described under B.4.c.of this item may be at a rate equal to $300 for each day, or portion thereof, of attendance. If the member attends two or more official meetings during the same day, and at least one of which occurs in the morning and one of which occurs in the afternoon, then the member shall be compensated at a rate of $400 for the entire day, otherwise compensation is capped at the $300 per day. The payment of such compensation shall be subject to the restrictions and limitations set forth in subsections B., C., and G. of § 30-19.12, Code of Virginia. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, compensation to General Assembly members for attendance at such official meetings shall be paid by the offices of the Clerk of the House of Delegates or Clerk of the Senate, as applicable. The body holding the meeting shall as soon as practicable report the member's attendance at any official meeting of such body to the Clerk of the House of Delegates or the Clerk of the Senate, as applicable, in order to facilitate payment of the compensation. Such body shall report the member's attendance in such manner as prescribed by the respective Clerk.

5. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever any General Assembly member is required to travel for official attendance as a representative of the General Assembly at any meeting, conference, seminar, workshop, or conclave, which is not conducted by the Commonwealth of Virginia or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, such member shall be entitled to (i) compensation in an amount not to exceed the per day rate set forth in paragraph B.4.d., and (ii) reimbursement for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred. Such compensation and reimbursement for expenses shall be set by the Speaker of the House of Delegates for members of the House of Delegates and by the Senate Committee on Rules for members of the Senate.

6. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply only to non-General Assembly members (hereinafter, "citizen members") of any (i) board, commission, authority, council, or other body created or established in the legislative branch of state government by the General Assembly or by resolution of a house of the General Assembly, or (ii) joint legislative committee or subcommittee.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any citizen member of any body described in this paragraph who is appointed at the state level, or designated an official member of such body, pursuant to an act of the General Assembly or a resolution of a house of the General Assembly that provides for the appointment or designation, shall receive compensation solely for each day, or portion thereof, of attendance at an official meeting of the same. In no event shall any citizen member be paid compensation for attending a meeting of an advisory committee or other advisory body. Subject to any contrary law that provides for a higher amount of compensation to be paid, compensation shall be paid at the rate of $50 for each day, or portion thereof, of attendance at an official meeting.

Such citizen members shall also be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in attending (i) an official meeting of any body described in this paragraph, or (ii) a meeting of an advisory committee or advisory body of any body described in this paragraph.

Compensation and reimbursement of expenses to such citizen members shall be paid by the body holding the meeting (or for meetings of advisory committees or advisory bodies, the body on whose behalf the meeting is being held) or by the entity that supports the work of the body.

A citizen member, however, who is a full-time employee of the Commonwealth or any of its local political subdivisions, including any full-time faculty member of a public institution of higher education, shall not be entitled to compensation under this paragraph and shall be limited to reimbursement for his reasonable and necessary expenses incurred, which shall be reimbursed by his employer. If such full-time employee who is a citizen member is required by his employer to take annual, family and personal, or other paid leave or unpaid leave to attend an official meeting under this paragraph, then such person shall be reimbursed for his reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the body holding the meeting, or for meetings of advisory committees or advisory bodies, the body on whose behalf the meeting is being held, or by the entity that supports the work of the body. For the purposes of this paragraph, reasonable and necessary expenses shall exclude the reimbursement for leave taken by a citizen member who is a full-time employee of the Commonwealth.

A citizen member who is also currently a treasurer, sheriff, clerk of court, commissioner of the revenue, or attorney for the Commonwealth by reason of election of the qualified county or city voters shall not be entitled to compensation under this paragraph and shall be limited to reimbursement for his reasonable and necessary expenses incurred, which shall be reimbursed within the budget already established by the Compensation Board and in the same manner as other reasonable and necessary expenses of his office are reimbursed. Full-time employees of one of the foregoing constitutional offices shall also not be entitled to compensation under this paragraph and shall be limited to reimbursement for their reasonable and necessary expenses incurred, which shall be reimbursed within the budget already established by the Compensation Board and in the same manner as other reasonable and necessary expenses of the constitutional office are reimbursed.

7. Pursuant to § 30-19.13, Code of Virginia, allowances for expenses of members of the General Assembly during any regular session of the General Assembly or extension thereof or during any special session of the General Assembly shall be paid in an amount not to exceed the maximum daily amount permitted by the Internal Revenue Service under rates established by the U.S. General Services Administration.

8. Allowance for office expenses and supplies of members of the General Assembly, in the amount of $1,250 for each month of each calendar year. An additional $500 for each month of each calendar year shall be paid to the Majority and Minority Leaders of the House of Delegates and the Senate and to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules, the Chair or Chairs of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, and the Chair of the House Appropriations Committee.

9. Members may utilize state transportation options as needed to attend regular or special sessions of the General Assembly; however, in such cases, members are not eligible to request travel reimbursement.

C. One legislative assistant of a member of the General Assembly regularly employed on a twelve (12) consecutive month salary basis receiving 60 percent or more of the salary allotted pursuant to paragraph B.3.d.1, may, for the purposes of §§ 51.1-124.3 and 51.1-152, Code of Virginia, be deemed a "state employee" and as such will be eligible for participation in the Virginia Retirement System, the group life insurance plan, the VRS short and long term disability plans, and the state health insurance plan. Upon approval by the Joint Rules Committee, legislative assistants shall be eligible to participate in the short and long-term disability plans sponsored by the Virginia Retirement System pursuant to Chapter 11 of Title 51.1, Code of Virginia. Such legislative assistants shall not receive sick leave and family and personal leave benefits under this plan. Short-term disability benefits shall be payable from the Legislative Reversion Clearing Account.

D.1. Out of this appropriation the Clerk of the House of Delegates shall pay the routine maintenance and operating expenses of the General Assembly Building, Old City Hall, and Lot 27 as apportioned to the Senate, House of Delegates, Division of Legislative Services, or other legislative agencies. The funds appropriated to each agency in the Legislative Department for routine maintenance and operating expenses during the current biennium shall be transferred to the account established for this purpose.

2. The Offices of the Clerk of the House and the Clerk of the Senate, in collaboration with the Department of General Services, may survey the subbasement of the parking deck at the corner of 9th Street and Broad Street in Richmond for suitability for storage.

E. An amount of up to $10,000 per year shall be transferred from Item 38 of this act, to reflect equivalent compensation allowances for the Lieutenant Governor as were authorized by the 1994 General Assembly. The Lieutenant Governor shall report such increases to the Speaker of the House and the Chair of the House Appropriations Committee and the Chair of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee.

F. The Speaker of the House shall establish the salary for the Clerk of the House of Delegates.

G. The Senate Committee on Rules shall establish the salary for the Clerk of the Senate.

H. Notwithstanding the salaries set out in Items 2, 4, 5, and 6, the Committee on Joint Rules may establish salary ranges for such agency heads consistent with the provisions and salary ranges included in § 4-6.01 of this act.

I. The Joint Commission on Transportation Accountability shall regularly review, and provide oversight of the usage of funding generated pursuant to the provisions of House Bill 2313, 2013 Session of the General Assembly. To this end, by November 15 the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission shall each prepare a report on the uses of the Commonwealth Rail Fund, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority Fund, and the Hampton Roads Transportation Fund, respectively, each year to be presented to the Joint Commission on Transportation Accountability.

J.1. The Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees shall each appoint up to five members from their respective committees to a Joint Subcommittee for Early Childhood Care and Education to provide ongoing oversight of the implementation of Virginia's unified public-private system for early childhood care and education. The members of the Joint Subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice chairman annually.

2. The goals and objectives of the Joint Subcommittee shall be to (i) review the cost-effectiveness of federal and state funding used to improve Virginia's early childhood care and education system, (ii) ensure that the transition of child care regulation from the Board of Social Services to the Board of Education occurs seamlessly without impacting health and safety oversight functions, (iii) ensure that the transition of functions from the Department of Social Services to the Department of Education occurs seamlessly without the interruption of the provision of state services or undue impact on the operation of either agency, (iv) review the implementation of the Board of Education's Quality Rating Implementation System, (v) review workforce needs for Virginia's early childhood education system, (vi) further facilitate partnerships between school divisions and private providers for the Virginia Preschool Initiative, (vii) consider recommendations and options included in the 2017 JLARC report on Improving Virginia's Early Childhood Development Programs, and (viii) consider funding methodology changes to transition the Virginia Preschool Initiative funding model to maximize the number of children served, while recognizing prevailing costs.

3. The staff of the Elementary and Secondary Education subcommittees for the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees and the Department of Education will help with facilitating the scope of work to be completed by the Joint Subcommittee. The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation will provide support and resources to the members and staff of the Joint Subcommittee. Other stakeholders, such as those from the Virginia Department of Social Services, the Virginia Community College System, local school divisions, private and faith-based child day-care providers, accredited organizations, education associations and businesses may provide additional information if requested. A report of any findings and recommendations shall be submitted to the Chairs of House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees.

K.1. The Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees shall each appoint five members from their respective committees to a Joint Subcommittee for Health and Human Resources Oversight to respond to federal health care changes, provide ongoing oversight of the Medicaid and children's health insurance programs and oversight of Health and Human Resources agencies. The members of the Joint Subcommittee shall elect a Chair and Vice Chair annually.

2. The Joint Subcommittee shall monitor, evaluate and respond to federal legislation that repeals, amends or replaces the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicaid (Title XIX of the Social Security Act), the Children's Health Insurance Program (Title XXI of the Social Security Act) or any proposals to block grant or change the method by which these programs are funded. The Joint Subcommittee shall recommend actions to be taken by the General Assembly to address the impact of any such federal legislation that would affect the state budget and health care coverage now available to Virginians. Furthermore, the Subcommittee shall evaluate federal changes for opportunities to improve Virginia's Medicaid and other health insurance programs.

3. The Joint Subcommittee shall provide ongoing oversight of initiatives and operations of the Health and Human Resources agencies. The Joint Subcommittee shall examine progress made in implementing changes to: (i) Medicaid managed care, including managed long-term supports and services; (ii) Medicaid waiver programs including the Medicaid waivers serving individuals with developmental disabilities; (iii) the Medicaid Enterprise System; (iv) improve eligibility, enrollment and renewal processes in the Medicaid and CHIP programs; (v) the organizational structure and realignment of staff and resources of the Department of Medical Assistance Services resulting from the change from a fee-for-service to a managed care delivery system; (vi) improve the cost effective delivery of services through the Comprehensive Services Act; and (vii) initiatives and programmatic changes across the Health and Human Resources agencies to ensure efficient and effective use of resources across the Secretariat.

4. The Joint Subcommittee may seek support and technical assistance from staff of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, the staff of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, the staff of the Joint Commission on Health Care, and the staff of the Department of Medical Assistance Services. Other state agency staff shall provide support upon request.

5. The staff of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees and the Joint Commission on Health Care shall help facilitate the scope of work to be completed by the Joint Subcommittee for Health and Human Resources Oversight.

L.1. The Chair of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee shall appoint five members from their Committee and the Chair of the House Appropriations Committee shall appoint four members from his Committee and two members of the House Finance Committee to a Joint Subcommittee on Local Government Fiscal Stress. The Joint Subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership.

2. The goals and objectives of the Joint Subcommittee will be to review (i) savings opportunities from increased regional cooperation and consolidation of services, including by jointly operating or merging small school divisions; (ii) local responsibilities for service delivery of state-mandated or high priority programs, (iii) causes of fiscal stress among local governments, (iv) potential financial incentives and other governmental reforms to encourage increased regional cooperation; and (v) the different taxing authorities of cities and counties.

3. Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerks of the House and Senate. The Joint Subcommittee may seek support and technical assistance from the staff of the Division of Legislative Services, House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, and the Commission on Local Government. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Joint Subcommittee for this study, upon request.

4. No recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee shall be adopted if a majority votes against the recommendation. The Joint Subcommittee shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly for each year.

M. Any nonlegislative citizen member appointed by either the Speaker of the House, the Senate Committee on Rules or the Joint Rules Committee to any Authority, Board, Commission, Committee, or other deliberative body in the Commonwealth shall serve at the pleasure of such appointing authority. Any such member may be relieved of his appointment at any time, with or without cause.

N.1. The Chair of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee shall appoint six members from the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the Chair of the House Appropriations Committee shall appoint three members from the House Committee on Appropriations and three members of the House Committee on Finance to a Joint Subcommittee on Tax Policy. The Joint Subcommittee shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership.

2. The goals and objectives of the Joint Subcommittee shall include (i) evaluating the fiscal impact of amendments to tax brackets, tax rates, credits, deductions, and exemptions, as well as any other factors it deems relevant to making Virginia's individual income tax system more fair and equitable; (ii) giving consideration to the fairness, certainty, convenience of payment, economy in collection, simplicity, neutrality, and economic efficiency of the Commonwealth's tax policies and any changes thereto; and (iii) recommending whether the General Assembly should amend the Code of Virginia.

3. To assist the Joint Subcommittee, the Chair of the Joint Subcommittee may appoint a workgroup which includes the staff of the House Committee on Finance, the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, and any other stakeholders deemed appropriate. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide technical assistance to the Joint Subcommittee, upon request.

4. The Joint Subcommittee shall explore efforts to modernize the Commonwealth's income and sales and use taxes during the 2024 interim. The goals and objectives shall include: (i) evaluating existing sales and use tax exemptions; (ii) applying sales and use tax to digital goods and services, including transactions involving businesses; (iii) evaluating efforts to increase the progressivity of the income tax; (iv) and long-term revenue growth to maintain core government services.

5. The Joint Subcommittee on Tax Policy shall study the data center sales and use tax exemption during the 2025 interim. The goals and objectives shall include: (i) reviewing Virginia's status as a leader for data center development and tax preferences; (ii) competitive advantages provided by existing and future exemptions; (iii) approaches taken in other states to provide stability and continuity for the impacted firms; (iv) investigating methods to attract data center investment to non-urbanized areas of the Commonwealth; (v) reviewing the recommendations and options in the 2024 JLARC study on Data Centers in Virginia; and (vi) reviewing the estimated direct and indirect economic benefits of data center investment in the Commonwealth.

O.1. The Virginia Minority Business Commission (the Commission) shall promote the growth and competitiveness of Virginia minority-owned businesses.

2.a. The Commission shall consist of 13 members that include seven legislative members and six nonlegislative citizen members. Members shall be appointed as follows: 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; three members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; three nonlegislative citizen members with expertise in entrepreneurship, economics, and business to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; and three nonlegislative citizen members with expertise in entrepreneurship, economics, and business to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Commission shall be citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unless otherwise approved in writing by the Chair of the Commission and the respective Clerk, nonlegislative citizen members shall only be reimbursed for travel originating and ending within the Commonwealth of Virginia for the purpose of attending meetings.

b. Legislative members and ex officio members of the Commission shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of two years. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Legislative members and nonlegislative citizen members may be reappointed. However, no nonlegislative citizen member shall serve more than four consecutive two-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's eligibility for reappointment. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. The Commission shall elect a Chair and Vice-Chair from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

c. Legislative members of the Commission shall receive such compensation as provided in § 30-19.12, and nonlegislative citizen members shall receive such compensation for the performance of their duties as provided in § 2.2-2813. All members shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in § 2.2-2813 and § 2.2-2825. Compensation to members of the General Assembly for attendance at official meetings of the Commission shall be paid by the offices of the Clerk of the House of Delegates or Clerk of the Senate, as applicable. All other compensation and expenses shall be paid from existing appropriations to the Commission.

3. The Commission shall: (i) Evaluate the impact of existing statutes and proposed legislation on minority businesses; (ii) Assess the Commonwealth's minority business assistance programs and examine ways to enhance their effectiveness; (iii) Provide minority business owners and advocates with a forum to address their concerns; (iv) Develop strategies and recommendations to promote the growth and competitiveness of Virginia minority-owned businesses; and, (v) Collaborate with the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity and other appropriate entities to facilitate the Commission's work and mission.

4. The Chair shall submit to the General Assembly and the Governor an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Commission no later than November 1st of each year. The executive summary shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

P. Included within this appropriation is $501,494 the first year and $501,494 the second year from the general fund for operational support for the following legislative commissions:

Q. The Division of Legislative Services shall provide staffing and operational support, as needed, for the legislative commissions listed within the table of the preceding paragraph of this item.

R.1. The Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees shall each appoint four members from their respective committees to a joint subcommittee to review the recommendations of the November 2022 report from the Joint Legislative and Audit Review Commission (JLARC) regarding the actuarial surplus of the VA529 Defined Benefit Trust Fund (the Fund).

2. The Joint Subcommittee on VA529 Surplus Funds shall review the considerations set forth in the JLARC report and produce recommendations with regard to: (i) the method, timing, and amount of any withdrawals from the Fund, including the appropriate funded status at which withdrawals should be considered, with consideration to maintaining sufficient assets to ensure Fund solvency for future obligations; (ii) development of guidelines for the appropriate allocation and subsequent use of monies withdrawn from the Fund, including consideration of returning funds to Legacy Prepaid529 account holders and programs that support higher education access and affordability; and (iii) ongoing oversight of Fund balances to determine availability of any future actuarial surpluses.

3. The Subcommittee shall submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees no later than October 15, 2025.

S.1. The Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees shall each appoint up to five members from their respective committees to a Joint Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education Funding to provide on-going direction and oversight of the Standards of Quality funding cost policies and to make recommendations to their respective committees.

2. As part of its oversight, the Joint Subcommittee shall: (i) review the recommendations and policy options offered in the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission's July 2023 report, “Virginia's K-12 Funding Formula"; (ii) determine the appropriateness of implementing each recommendation or policy option, (iii) propose appropriate amendments to each recommendation or policy option and (iv) develop a long-range plan for the phased implementation of its recommendations. In its deliberations, the Joint Subcommittee shall consider the long-term fiscal implications of each recommendation.

3. The Joint Subcommittee shall submit initial recommendations and an implementation plan to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees no later than November 1, 2024.

4. The school divisions, the staff of the Virginia Department of Education, and staff of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, are directed to provide technical assistance, as required, to the joint subcommittee.

T.1. The Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees shall each appoint four members from their respective committees to a joint subcommittee to review public higher education funding policies and make recommendations to their respective committees.

2. The initial review of the Joint Subcommittee on Higher Education Funding Policies shall: (i) prioritize the review of funding related to operations and financial aid; (ii) provide recommendations to improve funding models; and (iii) develop a short- and long-term plan for phased implementation of any recommendations. As part of its review, the Joint Subcommittee shall consider the recommendations provided in reports related to higher education funding, including recent Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission reports and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia's report on Cost and Funding Needs.

3. The Joint Subcommittee shall convene after December 1, 2024 and shall submit initial recommendations to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees no later than September 15, 2025.

4. The Joint Subcommittee may seek support from the staff of the Senate Finance and Appropriations and House Appropriations Committees, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, public institutions of higher education, and other higher education and state agency representatives. At its discretion, the Joint Subcommittee may contract for consulting services.

U.1. The Commission to Study the History of the Uprooting of Black Communities by Public Institutions of Higher Education in the Commonwealth (the Commission) is established in the legislative branch of state government. The purpose of the Commission is to study and determine (i) whether any public institution of higher education has purchased, expropriated, or otherwise taken possession of property owned by any individual or entity within the boundaries of a community in which a majority of the residents are Black in order to establish or expand the institution's campus and (ii) whether and what form of compensation or relief would be appropriate for any individual described in clause (i) or any of his lineal descendants. As used in this chapter, "public institution of higher education" has the same meaning as provided in § 23.1-100, Code of Virginia.

2. The Commission shall consist of 19 members that include ten legislative members, seven nonlegislative citizen members, and 2 ex officio members. Members shall be appointed as follows: six 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; four members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; four nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; three nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and the Secretary of Education and the Director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia or their designees to serve ex officio with voting privileges. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Commission shall be citizens of the Commonwealth. Unless otherwise approved in writing by the chair of the Commission 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.

3. Legislative members and ex officio members of the Commission shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of two years. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Legislative members and nonlegislative citizen members may be reappointed. However, no nonlegislative citizen member shall serve more than four consecutive two-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's eligibility for reappointment. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. The Commission shall elect a chair and vice-chair from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

4. Legislative members of the Commission shall receive such compensation as provided in § 30-19.12, and nonlegislative citizen members shall receive such compensation for the performance of their duties as provided in § 2.2-2813. All members shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. Compensation to members of the General Assembly for attendance at official meetings of the Commission shall be paid by the offices of the Clerk of the House of Delegates or Clerk of the Senate, as applicable. All other compensation and expenses shall be paid from existing appropriations to the Commission or, if unfunded, shall be approved by the Joint Rules Committee.

5. The Commission shall have the following duties:

a. Consult with each public institution of higher education to determine whether the institution has purchased, expropriated, or otherwise taken possession of property owned by any individual within the boundaries of a community in which a majority of the residents are Black in order to establish or expand the institution's campus;

b. Research whether acquisitions similar to those described in subdivision 1 have occurred in other states;

c. Analyze, in conjunction with the relevant public institution of higher education and such other stakeholders as it deems appropriate, whether and what form of compensation or relief would be appropriate for any individual described in subdivision 1 or any of his lineal descendants; and

d. Consult with such experts as it deems appropriate to assist it in carrying out its duties as set forth in this section.

V. There is hereby established a workgroup to review the rate and distrubtion of pari-mutuel pools generated by wagering on historic horse racing at satellite facilities pursuant to § 59.1-392, Code of Virginia. The workgroup shall be comprised of three members each of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees to be appointed by their respective chairs. The workgroup shall assess trends in pari-mutuel pools generated by historic horse racing wagering at satellite facilities, including the corresponding distribution of revenues to localities, and make recommendations regarding future distributions of such revenues beginning July 1, 2025. The workgroup shall provide its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees no later than October 15, 2024.

W.1. There is hereby established a Legislative Information Technology (IT) Council to oversee the operations and implementation of technology for the legislative branch. Membership of the Council shall include: the Clerk of the House, the Clerk of the Senate, the Staff Directors of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, the Director of the Division of Legislative Services, the Director of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, and the Director of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems (DLAS) as an ex officio non-voting member. Members of the Council may be represented by a designee. Meetings of the Council may occur at least four times a year to review, discuss, and make recommendations regarding services provided by DLAS, such as: (i) ongoing operational support; (ii) system development, implementation, refresh, and maintenance; (iii) information technology security; (iv) incident response; and (v) any other services provided to legislative agencies. The workgroup may direct DLAS to seek input from non-legislative stakeholders as needed to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and user-friendly capabilities of public-facing legislative systems. The Council may conduct an annual survey to evaluate the customer service that DLAS provides to legislative agencies. Finally, the Council shall, as needed, provide updates to the Joint Committee on Rules with regard to operational or performance issues, recommendations, or other feedback as needed to ensure the optimal operation of legislative entities.

2. The sole priority of DLAS shall be, through fiscal year 2026, to resolve outstanding issues with the Legislative Information System (LIS) and Lobbyist in a Box. DLAS shall cease development of all other systems unless otherwise directed by the Joint Committee on Rules or the Legislative IT Council.