A. The Small Business Commission (the Commission) is established in the legislative branch of state government. The purpose of the Commission shall be to study, report and make recommendations on issues of concern to small businesses in the Commonwealth.

B. The Commission shall consist of 16 members that include 10 legislative members and six nonlegislative citizen 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; and six nonlegislative citizen members, each of whom shall have previously demonstrated small business experience or expertise, to be appointed by the Governor. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be citizens of the Commonwealth.

All gubernatorial appointments to the Commission shall be for terms of two years. Legislative members shall serve terms coincident to their terms of office. All members may be reappointed for successive terms. 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.

C. The members of the Commission shall elect a chairman and a vice-chairman annually, who shall be members of the General Assembly. A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum. The Commission shall meet at the call of the chairman or whenever a majority of the members so request.

D. Legislative members of the Commission shall receive such compensation as is set forth 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 all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. However, all such compensation and expenses shall be paid from existing appropriations to the Commission.

E. Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the Senate or the Office of Clerk of the House of Delegates as may be appropriate for the house in which the chairman of the Commission serves. The Division of Legislative Services shall provide legal, research, policy analysis and other services as requested by the Commission. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall assist the Commission, upon request.

F. No recommendation of the Commission shall be adopted if a majority of the Senate members or a majority of the House members appointed to the Commission (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the Commission.

1995, cc. 735, 783, §§ 9-336, 9-337, 9-339; 2001, c. 844; 2003, c. 885; 2004, c. 1000; 2012, cc. 803, 835.