Authority: Title 2.1, Chapter 5.6 and § 2.1-51.10:1, Code of Virginia.

A. The Secretary of Administration, pursuant to § 2.1-504.3 A, Code of Virginia, is authorized to sell the Commonwealth's interests in the Main Street Station property to the City of Richmond under the following conditions:

1. The City shall pay the sum of $10,000,000 for the property. The City shall, upon payment of $6,500,000 to the Commonwealth, take immediate possession of that portion of the property which excludes the train shed and the Seaboard Building. No later than December 31, 2003, the Commonwealth shall vacate and transfer the train shed and the Seaboard Building and the City shall pay the remaining balance of $3,500,000. The City shall allow use of the current parking spaces in the Main Street Station property at no cost to the Commonwealth or its employees until such time as the parking facility is completed and the Commonwealth vacates the Main Street Station property, train shed and Seaboard Building.

2. It is the intention of the General Assembly to approve funding for the cost of a parking facility at the intersection of 14th and Main Streets and to approve funds for development of a new facility for the Department of General Services' Division of Consolidated Laboratories in the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park. The City shall pay the Commonwealth the sum of $4,100,000 in consideration of the Commonwealth making available for a period of 30 years up to 350 parking spaces in the parking facility for use by patrons of the Main Street Station. The Department of General Services is authorized to negotiate terms and conditions to allow the City to use the parking facility on nights and weekends for public parking, provided no such use shall create additional costs or obligations upon the Commonwealth.

3. Notwithstanding § 2.1-512 C, Code of Virginia, or any other law to the contrary, all proceeds under paragraph 1 above shall be used to defease the bond indebtedness remaining on the Main Street Station property at the time of the sale. Any funds remaining after such defeasance shall be held by the Comptroller in a special nonreverting, interest-bearing account to be used and paid solely to offset the cost of constructing the parking facility described in paragraph 2.

B. Contingent upon actions being taken on paragraph A of this item and Item C-1, the Secretary of Administration shall develop a plan for the eventual demolition of the Eighth Street Office Building, including how employees currently working there will be relocated to other state properties at the seat of government.

C.1. The decentralization programs of selected finance and administrative functions in the institutions of higher education are hereby continued. The Secretary of Administration, in consultation with the Secretary of Education and the Director of the State Council of Higher Education, shall subject requests from the institutions for relief from rules, regulations and reporting requirements in the areas of purchase of goods and services and human resource management to a rigorous review and shall not grant such requests unless the Secretary of Administration has a high degree of confidence in the capability of the institution to carry out the decentralization activity.

2. However, no programs shall be authorized in the area of correctional enterprises and in the area of enterprises operated by the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (Virginia Industries for the Blind); and, unless specifically authorized in this act, no programs shall be authorized in the areas of capital outlay or telephone and data communication service.

3. Prior to the Secretary of Administration authorizing any decentralization project, the board of visitors of the requesting institution must approve the project and agree to terms and conditions as prescribed by the Secretary, including central agency oversight, internal controls, internal audit, and post-audit evaluation requirements.

4.a. There is hereby established a Task Force on Decentralization in Higher Education to be chaired by the Secretary of Administration and composed of one member to be appointed or designated by each of the Secretaries of Education and Technology, the Director of the State Council of Higher Education, the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and the Co-Chairmen of the House Appropriations Committee. In addition, the Council of Presidents shall designate representatives of four institutions of higher education to serve on the task force.

b. The task force shall develop proposals that provide greater operational autonomy to institutions of higher education, while maintaining appropriate post-audit and reporting procedures, in the areas of capital outlay, real estate and property management, procurement, and personnel management.

c. The task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Chairmen of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Appropriations Committee by December 1, 2001.

d. The Secretary of Administration, in cooperation with the Secretary of Finance, shall study the feasibility of implementing a long-term care insurance program for all full time state employees. The study shall include an examination of the need for and the cost of a state long-term care insurance program. The Secretary of Administration shall present the findings of this study to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees by October 15, 2001.