Bill Text: VA HB1540 | 2024 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: The Virginia African American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, etc., Advisory Board; established.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-13 - Left in Appropriations [HB1540 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HB1540-Comm_Sub.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 13 of Title 2.2 an article numbered 5.1, consisting of sections numbered 22.1-237.1 through 22.1-237.5, as follows:
§22.1-237.1. Virginia African American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latino, and Indigenous Education Advisory Board; purpose.
The Virginia African American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latino, and Indigenous Education Advisory Board (the Advisory Board) is established as an advisory board, within the meaning of §2.2-2100, in the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the Advisory Board is to advise the Governor, his cabinet members, and the General Assembly on the current ways that African American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latino, and Indigenous history is described in the relevant Standards of Learning and associated curriculum frameworks; how that content is taught in classrooms; and strategies to develop African American history and social studies elective courses, Asian American and Pacific Islander history and social studies elective courses, Latino history and social studies elective courses, and Indigenous history and social studies elective courses.
§22.1-237.2. Membership; terms; quorum; meetings.
The Advisory Board shall have a total membership of 32 members that shall consist of 28 nonlegislative citizen members and four ex officio members. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed as follows:
1. Four nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, one of whom shall have experience and expertise in African American history, policy, and civil rights; one of whom shall have experience and expertise in Asian American and Pacific Islander history, policy, and civil rights; one of whom shall have experience and expertise in Latino history, policy, and civil rights; and one of whom shall have experience and expertise in Indigenous history, policy, and civil rights;
2. Four nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one of whom shall have experience and expertise in African American history, policy, and civil rights; one of whom shall have experience and expertise in Asian American and Pacific Islander history, policy, and civil rights; one of whom shall have experience and expertise in Latino history, policy, and civil rights; and one of whom shall have experience and expertise in Indigenous history, policy, and civil rights;
3. Four nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, one of whom shall have experience and expertise in African American history, policy, and civil rights; one of whom shall have experience and expertise in Asian American and Pacific Islander history, policy, and civil rights; one of whom shall have experience and expertise in Latino history, policy, and civil rights; and one of whom shall have experience and expertise in Indigenous history, policy, and civil rights;
4. Four nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the chairman of the Virginia African American Advisory Board, each of whom shall have experience and expertise in African American history, policy, and civil rights and none of whom shall be a current member of the Virginia African American Advisory Board;
5. Four nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the chairman of the Virginia-Asian Advisory Board, each of whom shall have experience and expertise in Asian American and Pacific Islander history, policy, and civil rights and none of whom shall be a current member of the Virginia-Asian Advisory Board;
6. Four nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the chairman of the Virginia Latino Advisory Board, each of whom shall have experience and expertise in Latino history, policy, and civil rights and none of whom shall be a current member of the Virginia Latino Advisory Board; and
7. Four nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the chairman of the Virginia Indian Advisory Board, all of whom shall have experience and expertise in Indigenous history, policy, and civil rights and none of whom shall be a current member of the Virginia Indian Advisory Board.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, or their designees, shall serve ex officio with voting privileges. The Secretary of Education and the Chief Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion Officer for the Commonwealth, or their designees, shall serve ex officio without voting privileges. Ex officio members of the Advisory Board shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Advisory Board shall be citizens of the Commonwealth.
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. All members may be reappointed.
After the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of four years. No nonlegislative citizen member shall serve more than two consecutive four-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.
The Advisory Board shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The meetings of the Advisory Board shall be held at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.
§22.1-237.3. Compensation; expenses.
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. Funding for the costs of compensation and expenses of the members shall be provided by the Office of the Secretary of Education.
§22.1-237.4. Powers and duties of the Board; report.
The Advisory Board shall have the following powers and duties:
1. Make technical edits to and recommendations for enriched Standards of Learning and associated curriculum frameworks relating to African American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latino, and Indigenous history;
2. Make recommendations for the broader considerations for the full review process for the history and social studies Standards of Learning;
3. Make recommendations for the necessary professional development and instructional supports for teachers to ensure culturally competent instruction;
4. Develop model curricula for African American social studies and history elective courses, Asian American and Pacific Islander social studies and history elective courses, Latino social studies and history elective courses, and Indigenous social studies and history elective courses in secondary schools; and
5. Submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports. The chairman shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Advisory Board no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.
§22.1-237.5. Staffing.
The Office of the Secretary of Education and the Department shall provide staff support to the Advisory Board. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Advisory Board, upon request.
2. That the initial appointments of nonlegislative citizen members of the Virginia African American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latino, and Indigenous Education Advisory Board, as created by this act, shall be staggered as follows: seven members for a term of four years appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates and the chairman of the Virginia African American Advisory Board; seven members for a term of three years appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates and the chairman of the Virginia Asian Advisory Board; seven members for a term of three years appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and the chairman of the Virginia Latino Advisory Board; and seven members for a term of four years appointed by the Governor and the chairman of the Virginia Indian Advisory Board.
