A. The Manufacturing Development Commission (the Commission) is established in the legislative branch of state government. The purpose of the Commission shall be to assess manufacturing needs and formulate legislative and regulatory remedies to ensure the future of the manufacturing sector in Virginia.

B. The Commission shall have a total membership of 14 that shall consist of eight legislative members, five nonlegislative citizen members, and one ex officio member. Members shall be appointed as follows: three members of the Senate, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; five 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; and five nonlegislative citizen members of whom (i) one shall be a representative of a public institution of higher education other than Norfolk State University or Virginia State University, (ii) one shall be a representative of an entity or organization active in economic development efforts in the Commonwealth, (iii) one shall be a representative of a Virginia manufacturer, (iv) one shall be the president of the Virginia Manufacturers Association, and (v) one shall be a representative of Norfolk State University or Virginia State University, to be appointed by the Governor. The Secretary of Commerce and Trade or his designee shall serve ex officio with voting privileges. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be citizens of the Commonwealth.

Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for terms of four years. Legislative members, the president of the Virginia Manufacturers Association, and ex officio members shall serve terms coincident with 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 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. Nonlegislative citizen members shall serve without compensation. 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 compensation and reimbursement of expenses of the members shall be provided from existing appropriations to the Commission. Costs of this Commission shall not exceed $12,000 per year.

E. Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the Senate or the Office of the 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. Technical assistance shall be provided by the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. 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) votes against the recommendation and (ii) votes for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the Commission.

2006, cc. 607, 900; 2009, c. 259.