A. 1. The Commission shall review individual incentive packages, including but not limited to packages offering tax incentives, for economic development projects (including but not limited to MEI projects) for which (i) one or more of the incentives in the incentive package is not authorized under current law or an amendment by the General Assembly is being sought to one or more currently existing incentives included as part of the incentive package or (ii) the aggregate amount of incentives to be provided by the Commonwealth in the incentive package including grants, tax incentives such as credits and exemptions, general or nongeneral funds, proceeds from bonds, rights to lease property at below fair market value, or any other incentives from the Commonwealth is in excess of $10 million in value. The Commission shall also review economic development projects in which a business relocates or expands its operations in one or more Virginia localities and simultaneously closes its operations or substantially reduces the number of its employees in another Virginia locality. The Commission shall recommend approval or denial of such packages and projects to the General Assembly. Factors that shall be considered by the Commission in its review shall include, but not be limited to (i) return on investment, (ii) the time frame for repayment of incentives to the Commonwealth, (iii) average wages of the jobs created by the prospective MEI project or other economic development project, (iv) the amount of capital investment that is required, and (v) the need for enhanced employment opportunities in the prospective location of the prospective MEI project or other economic development project.

2. a. Any time a proposed individual incentive package is to be considered by the Commission, materials outlining (i) the value of the proposed incentives, (ii) assumed return on investment, (iii) the time frame for repayment of incentives to the Commonwealth, (iv) average wages of the jobs created by the prospective MEI project or other economic development project, (v) the amount of capital investment that is required, and (vi) the need for enhanced employment opportunities in the prospective location of the prospective MEI project or other economic development project, shall be provided to the Commission members not less than 48 hours prior to the scheduled Commission meeting.

b. The timing of any request for an endorsement of a proposed individual incentive package should be scheduled so that the MEI Commission could, at its discretion, have up to seven days subsequent to the presentation of the incentive package prior to endorsing or rejecting such proposal.

B. An affirmative vote by three of the five members of the Commission from the House of Delegates and two of the three members of the Commission from the Senate shall be required to endorse any incentive package, including but not limited to packages offering tax incentives, for economic development projects (including but not limited to MEI projects) for which (i) one or more of the incentives in the incentive package is not authorized under current law or an amendment by the General Assembly is being sought to one or more currently existing incentives included as part of the incentive package or (ii) the aggregate amount of incentives to be provided by the Commonwealth in the incentive package including grants, tax incentives such as credits and exemptions, general or nongeneral funds, proceeds from bonds, rights to lease property at below fair market value, or any other incentives from the Commonwealth is in excess of $10 million in value. Such vote shall also be required to endorse any economic development project in which a business relocates or expands its operations in one or more Virginia localities and simultaneously closes its operations or substantially reduces the number of its employees in another Virginia locality.

2009, cc. 246, 311; 2010, cc. 543, 716; 2013, c. 806; 2015, c. 761; 2017, c. 663.