A. The Virginia War Memorial Board (the Board) is established as an advisory board within the meaning of § 2.2-2100 for the purpose of supporting the Virginia War Memorial.

B. The Board shall have a total membership of 24 members that shall consist of 10 legislative members, 10 nonlegislative citizen members, and four ex officio members 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; 10 nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly; and the Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Services, the Chairman of the Board of Veterans Services, the Chairman of the Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations, and the Chairman of the Virginia War Memorial Education Foundation, or their designees, who shall serve ex officio with voting privileges. A majority of the Board shall be members or veterans of the armed forces of the United States or the Virginia National Guard. Members appointed should include representatives of some or all of the various veterans organizations active in Virginia, as the Governor deems appropriate.

C. Except for initial appointments, all nonlegislative citizen member appointments shall be for terms of three years. Legislative members, the Commissioner of Veterans Services, the Chairman of the Board of Veterans Services, the Chairman of the Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations, and the Chairman of the Virginia War Memorial Education Foundation shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. All members may be reappointed. However, no nonlegislative citizen member shall be eligible to serve for more than four successive three-year terms. No Senate member shall be eligible to serve more than three successive four-year terms and no member of the House of Delegates shall be eligible to serve more than six successive 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. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be made for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. Members appointed by the Governor shall serve at his pleasure.

D. Legislative members of the Board shall receive such compensation as is set forth in § 30-19.12. All members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. Funding for the costs of compensation of legislative members shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the Senate or the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates, as appropriate. Funding for the costs of expenses of all members shall be provided by the Virginia War Memorial Division of the Department of Veterans Services.

E. The Department of Veterans Services shall provide the Board with administrative and other services.

F. The Board shall adopt bylaws governing their organization and procedures and may amend the same. The Board shall elect from their number a chairman, vice-chairman, and such other officers as their bylaws may provide. They shall also appoint an executive committee, composed of not fewer than five members, which committee shall exercise the powers and duties imposed on the Board by this section to the extent permitted by the Board in their bylaws. The Board shall meet at least three times a year. Meetings of the Board and the executive committee shall be held at the call of the Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Services, the chairman of the Board, or whenever a majority of the members so request. A majority of members shall constitute a quorum.

G. The chairman of the Board shall submit such reports electronically as required by the Commissioner of Veterans Services.

2012, cc. 803, 835; 2013, c. 234.