Bill Text: VA HB1325 | 2016 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: BVU Authority; Board powers and duties, broadband, repeals certain provision.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2016-03-01 - Incorporated by Local Government [HB1325 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2016-HB1325-Comm_Sub.html
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16105254D
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1. That §§2.2-3705.6, 2.2-3711, 15.2-2160, 15.2-7202, 15.2-7203, 15.2-7206, 15.2-7207, 15.2-7208, and 56-265.4:4 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows: §2.2-3705.6. Exclusions to application of chapter; proprietary records and trade secrets. The following records are excluded from the provisions of this chapter but may be disclosed by the custodian in his discretion, except where such disclosure is prohibited by law: 1. Proprietary information gathered by or for the Virginia Port Authority as provided in §62.1-132.4 or 62.1-134.1. 2. Financial statements not publicly available filed with applications for industrial development financings in accordance with Chapter 49 (§15.2-4900 et seq.) of Title 15.2. 3. Confidential proprietary records, voluntarily provided by private business pursuant to a promise of confidentiality from a public body, used by the public body for business, trade and tourism development or retention; and memoranda, working papers or other records related to businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Virginia, prepared by a public body, where competition or bargaining is involved and where, if such records are made public, the financial interest of the public body would be adversely affected. 4. Information that was filed as confidential under the Toxic Substances Information Act (§32.1-239 et seq.), as such Act existed prior to July 1, 1992. 5. Fisheries data that would permit identification of any person or vessel, except when required by court order as specified in § 28.2-204. 6. Confidential financial statements, balance sheets, trade secrets, and revenue and cost projections provided to the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, provided such information is exempt under the federal Freedom of Information Act or the federal Interstate Commerce Act or other laws administered by the Surface Transportation Board or the Federal Railroad Administration with respect to data provided in confidence to the Surface Transportation Board and the Federal Railroad Administration. 7. Confidential proprietary records related to inventory and sales, voluntarily provided by private energy suppliers to the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, used by that Department for energy contingency planning purposes or for developing consolidated statistical information on energy supplies. 8. Confidential proprietary information furnished to the Board of Medical Assistance Services or the Medicaid Prior Authorization Advisory Committee pursuant to Article 4 (§32.1-331.12 et seq.) of Chapter 10 of Title 32.1. 9. Proprietary, commercial or financial information, balance sheets, trade secrets, and revenue and cost projections provided by a private transportation business to the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation for the purpose of conducting transportation studies needed to obtain grants or other financial assistance under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (P.L. 105-178) for transportation projects, provided such information is exempt under the federal Freedom of Information Act or the federal Interstate Commerce Act or other laws administered by the Surface Transportation Board or the Federal Railroad Administration with respect to data provided in confidence to the Surface Transportation Board and the Federal Railroad Administration. However, the exemption provided by this subdivision shall not apply to any wholly owned subsidiary of a public body. 10. Confidential information designated as provided in subsection F of §2.2-4342 as trade secrets or proprietary information by any person who has submitted to a public body an application for prequalification to bid on public construction projects in accordance with subsection B of § 2.2-4317. 11. a. Memoranda, staff evaluations, or other records prepared by the responsible public entity, its staff, outside advisors, or consultants exclusively for the evaluation and negotiation of proposals filed under the Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995 (§33.2-1800 et seq.) or the Public Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act of 2002 (§56-575.1 et seq.), where (i) if such records were made public prior to or after the execution of an interim or a comprehensive agreement, §33.2-1820 or 56-575.17 notwithstanding, the financial interest or bargaining position of the public entity would be adversely affected, and (ii) the basis for the determination required in clause (i) is documented in writing by the responsible public entity; and b. Records provided by a private entity to a responsible public entity, affected jurisdiction, or affected local jurisdiction pursuant to the provisions of the Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995 or the Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act of 2002, to the extent that such records contain (i) trade secrets of the private entity as defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (§59.1-336 et seq.); (ii) financial records of the private entity, including balance sheets and financial statements, that are not generally available to the public through regulatory disclosure or otherwise; or (iii) other information submitted by the private entity, where, if the records were made public prior to the execution of an interim agreement or a comprehensive agreement, the financial interest or bargaining position of the public or private entity would be adversely affected. In order for the records specified in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) to be excluded from the provisions of this chapter, the private entity shall make a written request to the responsible public entity: 1. Invoking such exclusion upon submission of the data or other materials for which protection from disclosure is sought; 2. Identifying with specificity the data or other materials for which protection is sought; and 3. Stating the reasons why protection is necessary. The responsible public entity shall determine whether the requested exclusion from disclosure is necessary to protect the trade secrets or financial records of the private entity. To protect other records submitted by the private entity from disclosure, the responsible public entity shall determine whether public disclosure prior to the execution of an interim agreement or a comprehensive agreement would adversely affect the financial interest or bargaining position of the public or private entity. The responsible public entity shall make a written determination of the nature and scope of the protection to be afforded by the responsible public entity under this subdivision. Once a written determination is made by the responsible public entity, the records afforded protection under this subdivision shall continue to be protected from disclosure when in the possession of any affected jurisdiction or affected local jurisdiction. Except as specifically provided in subdivision 11 a, nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to authorize the withholding of (a) procurement records as required by §33.2-1820 or 56-575.17; (b) information concerning the terms and conditions of any interim or comprehensive agreement, service contract, lease, partnership, or any agreement of any kind entered into by the responsible public entity and the private entity; (c) information concerning the terms and conditions of any financing arrangement that involves the use of any public funds; or (d) information concerning the performance of any private entity developing or operating a qualifying transportation facility or a qualifying project. For the purposes of this subdivision, the terms "affected jurisdiction," "affected local jurisdiction," "comprehensive agreement," "interim agreement," "qualifying project," "qualifying transportation facility," "responsible public entity," and "private entity" shall mean the same as those terms are defined in the Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995 or in the Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act of 2002. 12. Confidential proprietary information or trade secrets, not publicly available, provided by a private person or entity to the Virginia Resources Authority or to a fund administered in connection with financial assistance rendered or to be rendered by the Virginia Resources Authority where, if such information were made public, the financial interest of the private person or entity would be adversely affected, and, after June 30, 1997, where such information was provided pursuant to a promise of confidentiality. 13. Trade secrets, as defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (§59.1-336 et seq.), or confidential proprietary records that are not generally available to the public through regulatory disclosure or otherwise, provided by a (a) bidder or applicant for a franchise or (b) franchisee under Chapter 21 (§15.2-2100 et seq.) of Title 15.2 to the applicable franchising authority pursuant to a promise of confidentiality from the franchising authority, to the extent the records relate to the bidder's, applicant's, or franchisee's financial capacity or provision of new services, adoption of new technologies or implementation of improvements, where such new services, technologies or improvements have not been implemented by the franchisee on a nonexperimental scale in the franchise area, and where, if such records were made public, the competitive advantage or financial interests of the franchisee would be adversely affected. In order for trade secrets or confidential proprietary information to be excluded from the provisions of this chapter, the bidder, applicant, or franchisee shall (i) invoke such exclusion upon submission of the data or other materials for which protection from disclosure is sought, (ii) identify the data or other materials for which protection is sought, and (iii) state the reason why protection is necessary. No bidder, applicant, or franchisee may invoke the exclusion provided by this subdivision if the bidder, applicant, or franchisee is owned or controlled by a public body or if any representative of the applicable franchising authority serves on the management board or as an officer of the bidder, applicant, or franchisee. 14. Documents and other information of a proprietary nature furnished by a supplier of charitable gaming supplies to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services pursuant to subsection E of §18.2-340.34. 15. Records and reports related to Virginia apple producer sales provided to the Virginia State Apple Board pursuant to §3.2-1215. 16. Trade secrets, as defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (§59.1-336 et seq.) of Title 59.1, submitted by CMRS providers as defined in § 56-484.12 to the Wireless Carrier E-911 Cost Recovery Subcommittee created pursuant to §56-484.15, relating to the provision of wireless E-911 service. 17. Records submitted as a grant or loan application, or accompanying a grant or loan application, to the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Authority pursuant to Article 3 (§2.2-2233.1 et seq.) of Chapter 22 of Title 2.2 or to the Commonwealth Health Research Board pursuant to Chapter 22 (§23-277 et seq.) of Title 23 to the extent such records contain proprietary business or research-related information produced or collected by the applicant in the conduct of or as a result of study or research on medical, rehabilitative, scientific, technical, technological, or scholarly issues, when such information has not been publicly released, published, copyrighted, or patented, if the disclosure of such information would be harmful to the competitive position of the applicant. 18. Confidential proprietary records and trade secrets developed and held by a local public body (i) providing telecommunication services pursuant to §56-265.4:4 and (ii) providing cable television services pursuant to Article 1.1 (§15.2-2108.2 et seq.) of Chapter 21 of Title 15.2, to the extent that disclosure of such records would be harmful to the competitive position of the locality. In order for confidential proprietary information or trade secrets to be excluded from the provisions of this chapter, the locality in writing shall (a) invoke the protections of this subdivision, (b) identify with specificity the records or portions thereof for which protection is sought, and (c) state the reasons why protection is necessary. However, the exemption provided by this subdivision shall not apply to any authority created pursuant to the BVU Authority Act (§15.2-7200 et seq.). 19. Confidential proprietary records and trade secrets developed by or for a local authority created in accordance with the Virginia Wireless Service Authorities Act (§15.2-5431.1 et seq.) to provide qualifying communications services as authorized by Article 5.1 (§56-484.7:1 et seq.) of Chapter 15 of Title 56, where disclosure of such information would be harmful to the competitive position of the authority, except that records required to be maintained in accordance with §15.2-2160 shall be released. 20. Trade secrets as defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (§59.1-336 et seq.) or financial records of a business, including balance sheets and financial statements, that are not generally available to the public through regulatory disclosure or otherwise, provided to the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity as part of an application for certification as a small, women-owned, or minority-owned business in accordance with Chapter 16.1 (§2.2-1603 et seq.). In order for such trade secrets or financial records to be excluded from the provisions of this chapter, the business shall (i) invoke such exclusion upon submission of the data or other materials for which protection from disclosure is sought, (ii) identify the data or other materials for which protection is sought, and (iii) state the reasons why protection is necessary. 21. Documents and other information of a proprietary or confidential nature disclosed by a carrier to the State Health Commissioner pursuant to §§32.1-276.5:1 and 32.1-276.7:1. 22. Trade secrets, as defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (§59.1-336 et seq.), including, but not limited to, financial records, including balance sheets and financial statements, that are not generally available to the public through regulatory disclosure or otherwise, and revenue and cost projections supplied by a private or nongovernmental entity to the State Inspector General for the purpose of an audit, special investigation, or any study requested by the Office of the State Inspector General in accordance with law. In order for the records specified in this subdivision to be excluded from the provisions of this chapter, the private or nongovernmental entity shall make a written request to the State Inspector General: 1. Invoking such exclusion upon submission of the data or other materials for which protection from disclosure is sought; 2. Identifying with specificity the data or other materials for which protection is sought; and 3. Stating the reasons why protection is necessary. The State Inspector General shall determine whether the requested exclusion from disclosure is necessary to protect the trade secrets or financial records of the private entity. The State Inspector General shall make a written determination of the nature and scope of the protection to be afforded by it under this subdivision. 23. Records submitted as a grant application, or accompanying a grant application, to the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission to the extent such records contain (i) trade secrets as defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (§59.1-336 et seq.), (ii) financial records of a grant applicant that is not a public body, including balance sheets and financial statements, that are not generally available to the public through regulatory disclosure or otherwise, or (iii) research-related information produced or collected by the applicant in the conduct of or as a result of study or research on medical, rehabilitative, scientific, technical, technological, or scholarly issues, when such information has not been publicly released, published, copyrighted, or patented, if the disclosure of such information would be harmful to the competitive position of the applicant; and memoranda, staff evaluations, or other records prepared by the Commission or its staff exclusively for the evaluation of grant applications. The exclusion provided by this subdivision shall apply to grants that are consistent with the powers of and in furtherance of the performance of the duties of the Commission pursuant to §3.2-3103. In order for the records specified in this subdivision to be excluded from the provisions of this chapter, the applicant shall make a written request to the Commission: 1. Invoking such exclusion upon submission of the data or other materials for which protection from disclosure is sought; 2. Identifying with specificity the data, records or other materials for which protection is sought; and 3. Stating the reasons why protection is necessary. The Commission shall determine whether the requested exclusion from disclosure is necessary to protect the trade secrets, financial records or research-related information of the applicant. The Commission shall make a written determination of the nature and scope of the protection to be afforded by it under this subdivision. 24. a. Records of the Commercial Space Flight Authority relating to rate structures or charges for the use of projects of, the sale of products of, or services rendered by the Authority if public disclosure would adversely affect the financial interest or bargaining position of the Authority or a private entity providing records to the Authority; or b. Records provided by a private entity to the Commercial Space Flight Authority, to the extent that such records contain (i) trade secrets of the private entity as defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (§ 59.1-336 et seq.); (ii) financial records of the private entity, including balance sheets and financial statements, that are not generally available to the public through regulatory disclosure or otherwise; or (iii) other information submitted by the private entity, where, if the records were made public, the financial interest or bargaining position of the Authority or private entity would be adversely affected. In order for the records specified in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of subdivision 24 b to be excluded from the provisions of this chapter, the private entity shall make a written request to the Authority: 1. Invoking such exclusion upon submission of the data or other materials for which protection from disclosure is sought; 2. Identifying with specificity the data or other materials for which protection is sought; and 3. Stating the reasons why protection is necessary. The Authority shall determine whether the requested exclusion from disclosure is necessary to protect the trade secrets or financial records of the private entity. To protect other records submitted by the private entity from disclosure, the Authority shall determine whether public disclosure would adversely affect the financial interest or bargaining position of the Authority or private entity. The Authority shall make a written determination of the nature and scope of the protection to be afforded by it under this subdivision. 25. Documents and other information of a proprietary nature furnished by an agricultural landowner or operator to the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or any political subdivision, agency, or board of the Commonwealth pursuant to §§10.1-104.7, 10.1-104.8, and 10.1-104.9, other than when required as part of a state or federal regulatory enforcement action. 26. Trade secrets, as defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (§59.1-336 et seq.), provided to the Department of Environmental Quality pursuant to the provisions of §10.1-1458. In order for such trade secrets to be excluded from the provisions of this chapter, the submitting party shall (i) invoke this exclusion upon submission of the data or materials for which protection from disclosure is sought, (ii) identify the data or materials for which protection is sought, and (iii) state the reasons why protection is necessary. 27. Documents and other information of a proprietary nature furnished by a licensed public-use airport to the Department of Aviation for funding from programs administered by the Department of Aviation or the Virginia Aviation Board, where if the records were made public, the financial interest of the public-use airport would be adversely affected. In order for the records specified in this subdivision to be excluded from the provisions of this chapter, the public-use airport shall make a written request to the Department of Aviation: 1. Invoking such exclusion upon submission of the data or other materials for which protection from disclosure is sought; 2. Identifying with specificity the data or other materials for which protection is sought; and 3. Stating the reasons why protection is necessary. §2.2-3711. Closed meetings authorized for certain limited purposes. A. Public bodies may hold closed meetings only for the following purposes: 1. Discussion, consideration, or interviews of prospective candidates for employment; assignment, appointment, promotion, performance, demotion, salaries, disciplining, or resignation of specific public officers, appointees, or employees of any public body; and evaluation of performance of departments or schools of public institutions of higher education where such evaluation will necessarily involve discussion of the performance of specific individuals. Any teacher shall be permitted to be present during a closed meeting in which there is a discussion or consideration of a disciplinary matter that involves the teacher and some student and the student involved in the matter is present, provided the teacher makes a written request to be present to the presiding officer of the appropriate board. 2. Discussion or consideration of admission or disciplinary matters or any other matters that would involve the disclosure of information contained in a scholastic record concerning any student of any Virginia public institution of higher education or any state school system. However, any such student, legal counsel and, if the student is a minor, the student's parents or legal guardians shall be permitted to be present during the taking of testimony or presentation of evidence at a closed meeting, if such student, parents, or guardians so request in writing and such request is submitted to the presiding officer of the appropriate board. 3. Discussion or consideration of the acquisition of real property for a public purpose, or of the disposition of publicly held real property, where discussion in an open meeting would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body. 4. The protection of the privacy of individuals in personal matters not related to public business. 5. Discussion concerning a prospective business or industry or the expansion of an existing business or industry where no previous announcement has been made of the business' or industry's interest in locating or expanding its facilities in the community. 6. Discussion or consideration of the investment of public funds where competition or bargaining is involved, where, if made public initially, the financial interest of the governmental unit would be adversely affected. 7. Consultation with legal counsel and briefings by staff members or consultants pertaining to actual or probable litigation, where such consultation or briefing in open meeting would adversely affect the negotiating or litigating posture of the public body; and consultation with legal counsel employed or retained by a public body regarding specific legal matters requiring the provision of legal advice by such counsel. For the purposes of this subdivision, "probable litigation" means litigation that has been specifically threatened or on which the public body or its legal counsel has a reasonable basis to believe will be commenced by or against a known party. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to permit the closure of a meeting merely because an attorney representing the public body is in attendance or is consulted on a matter. 8. In the case of boards of visitors of public institutions of higher education, discussion or consideration of matters relating to gifts, bequests and fund-raising activities, and grants and contracts for services or work to be performed by such institution. However, the terms and conditions of any such gifts, bequests, grants, and contracts made by a foreign government, a foreign legal entity, or a foreign person and accepted by a public institution of higher education in Virginia shall be subject to public disclosure upon written request to the appropriate board of visitors. For the purpose of this subdivision, (i) "foreign government" means any government other than the United States government or the government of a state or a political subdivision thereof; (ii) "foreign legal entity" means any legal entity created under the laws of the United States or of any state thereof if a majority of the ownership of the stock of such legal entity is owned by foreign governments or foreign persons or if a majority of the membership of any such entity is composed of foreign persons or foreign legal entities, or any legal entity created under the laws of a foreign government; and (iii) "foreign person" means any individual who is not a citizen or national of the United States or a trust territory or protectorate thereof. 9. In the case of the boards of trustees of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Virginia Museum of Natural History, the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, and The Science Museum of Virginia, discussion or consideration of matters relating to specific gifts, bequests, and grants. 10. Discussion or consideration of honorary degrees or special awards. 11. Discussion or consideration of tests, examinations, or other records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 4 of § 2.2-3705.1. 12. Discussion, consideration, or review by the appropriate House or Senate committees of possible disciplinary action against a member arising out of the possible inadequacy of the disclosure statement filed by the member, provided the member may request in writing that the committee meeting not be conducted in a closed meeting. 13. Discussion of strategy with respect to the negotiation of a hazardous waste siting agreement or to consider the terms, conditions, and provisions of a hazardous waste siting agreement if the governing body in open meeting finds that an open meeting will have an adverse effect upon the negotiating position of the governing body or the establishment of the terms, conditions and provisions of the siting agreement, or both. All discussions with the applicant or its representatives may be conducted in a closed meeting. 14. Discussion by the Governor and any economic advisory board reviewing forecasts of economic activity and estimating general and nongeneral fund revenues. 15. Discussion or consideration of medical and mental health records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 1 of §2.2-3705.5. 16. Deliberations of the Virginia Lottery Board in a licensing appeal action conducted pursuant to subsection D of §58.1-4007 regarding the denial or revocation of a license of a lottery sales agent; and discussion, consideration or review of Virginia Lottery matters related to proprietary lottery game information and studies or investigations exempted from disclosure under subdivision 6 of §2.2-3705.3 and subdivision 11 of §2.2-3705.7. 17. Those portions of meetings by local government crime commissions where the identity of, or information tending to identify, individuals providing information about crimes or criminal activities under a promise of anonymity is discussed or disclosed. 18. Those portions of meetings in which the Board of Corrections discusses or discloses the identity of, or information tending to identify, any prisoner who (i) provides information about crimes or criminal activities, (ii) renders assistance in preventing the escape of another prisoner or in the apprehension of an escaped prisoner, or (iii) voluntarily or at the instance of a prison official renders other extraordinary services, the disclosure of which is likely to jeopardize the prisoner's life or safety. 19. Discussion of plans to protect public safety as it relates to terrorist activity or specific cybersecurity threats or vulnerabilities and briefings by staff members, legal counsel, or law-enforcement or emergency service officials concerning actions taken to respond to such matters or a related threat to public safety; discussion of records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 3 or 4 of §2.2-3705.2, where discussion in an open meeting would jeopardize the safety of any person or the security of any facility, building, structure, information technology system, or software program; or discussion of reports or plans related to the security of any governmental facility, building or structure, or the safety of persons using such facility, building or structure. 20. Discussion by the Board of the Virginia Retirement System, acting pursuant to §51.1-124.30, or of any local retirement system, acting pursuant to §51.1-803, or of the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia, acting pursuant to §23-76.1, or by the Board of the Virginia College Savings Plan, acting pursuant to §23-38.80, regarding the acquisition, holding or disposition of a security or other ownership interest in an entity, where such security or ownership interest is not traded on a governmentally regulated securities exchange, to the extent that such discussion (i) concerns confidential analyses prepared for the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia, prepared by the retirement system or by the Virginia College Savings Plan or provided to the retirement system or the Virginia College Savings Plan under a promise of confidentiality, of the future value of such ownership interest or the future financial performance of the entity, and (ii) would have an adverse effect on the value of the investment to be acquired, held or disposed of by the retirement system, the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia, or the Virginia College Savings Plan. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prevent the disclosure of information relating to the identity of any investment held, the amount invested or the present value of such investment. 21. Those portions of meetings in which individual child death cases are discussed by the State Child Fatality Review team established pursuant to §32.1-283.1, those portions of meetings in which individual child death cases are discussed by a regional or local child fatality review team established pursuant to §32.1-283.2, those portions of meetings in which individual death cases are discussed by family violence fatality review teams established pursuant to §32.1-283.3, those portions of meetings in which individual adult death cases are discussed by the state Adult Fatality Review Team established pursuant to §32.1-283.5, and those portions of meetings in which individual adult death cases are discussed by a local or regional adult fatality review team established pursuant to §32.1-283.6. 22. Those portions of meetings of the University of Virginia Board of Visitors or the Eastern Virginia Medical School Board of Visitors, as the case may be, and those portions of meetings of any persons to whom management responsibilities for the University of Virginia Medical Center or Eastern Virginia Medical School, as the case may be, have been delegated, in which there is discussed proprietary, business-related information pertaining to the operations of the University of Virginia Medical Center or Eastern Virginia Medical School, as the case may be, including business development or marketing strategies and activities with existing or future joint venturers, partners, or other parties with whom the University of Virginia Medical Center or Eastern Virginia Medical School, as the case may be, has formed, or forms, any arrangement for the delivery of health care, if disclosure of such information would adversely affect the competitive position of the Medical Center or Eastern Virginia Medical School, as the case may be. 23. In the case of the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority, discussion or consideration of any of the following: the acquisition or disposition of real or personal property where disclosure would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the Authority; operational plans that could affect the value of such property, real or personal, owned or desirable for ownership by the Authority; matters relating to gifts, bequests and fund-raising activities; grants and contracts for services or work to be performed by the Authority; marketing or operational strategies where disclosure of such strategies would adversely affect the competitive position of the Authority; members of its medical and teaching staffs and qualifications for appointments thereto; and qualifications or evaluations of other employees. This exemption shall also apply when the foregoing discussions occur at a meeting of the Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors. 24. Those portions of the meetings of the Health Practitioners' Monitoring Program Committee within the Department of Health Professions to the extent such discussions identify any practitioner who may be, or who actually is, impaired pursuant to Chapter 25.1 (§54.1-2515 et seq.) of Title 54.1. 25. Meetings or portions of meetings of the Board of the Virginia College Savings Plan wherein personal information, as defined in § 2.2-3801, which has been provided to the Board or its employees by or on behalf of individuals who have requested information about, applied for, or entered into prepaid tuition contracts or savings trust account agreements pursuant to Chapter 4.9 (§23-38.75 et seq.) of Title 23 is discussed. 26. Discussion or consideration, by the Wireless Carrier E-911 Cost Recovery Subcommittee created pursuant to §56-484.15, of trade secrets, as defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (§59.1-336 et seq.), submitted by CMRS providers as defined in §56-484.12, related to the provision of wireless E-911 service. 27. Those portions of disciplinary proceedings by any regulatory board within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Department of Health Professions, or the Board of Accountancy conducted pursuant to §2.2-4019 or 2.2-4020 during which the board deliberates to reach a decision or meetings of health regulatory boards or conference committees of such boards to consider settlement proposals in pending disciplinary actions or modifications to previously issued board orders as requested by either of the parties. 28. Discussion or consideration of records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 11 of §2.2-3705.6 by a responsible public entity or an affected locality or public entity, as those terms are defined in §33.2-1800, or any independent review panel appointed to review information and advise the responsible public entity concerning such records. 29. Discussion of the award of a public contract involving the expenditure of public funds, including interviews of bidders or offerors, and discussion of the terms or scope of such contract, where discussion in an open session would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body. 30. Discussion or consideration of grant or loan application records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 17 of §2.2-3705.6 by (i) the Commonwealth Health Research Board or (ii) the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Authority or the Research and Technology Investment Advisory Committee appointed to advise the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Authority. 31. Discussion or consideration by the Commitment Review Committee of records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 9 of § 2.2-3705.2 relating to individuals subject to commitment as sexually violent predators under Chapter 9 (§37.2-900 et seq.) of Title 37.2. 32. [Expired.] 33. Discussion or consideration of confidential proprietary records and trade secrets excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 18 of §2.2-3705.6. However, the exemption provided by this subdivision shall not apply to any authority created pursuant to the BVU Authority Act (§ 15.2-7200 et seq.). 34. Discussion or consideration by a local authority created in accordance with the Virginia Wireless Service Authorities Act (§15.2-5431.1 et seq.) of confidential proprietary records and trade secrets excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 19 of §2.2-3705.6. 35. Discussion or consideration by the State Board of Elections or local electoral boards of voting security matters made confidential pursuant to §24.2-625.1. 36. Discussion or consideration by the Forensic Science Board or the Scientific Advisory Committee created pursuant to Article 2 (§9.1-1109 et seq.) of Chapter 11 of Title 9.1 of records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision A 2 a of §2.2-3706. 37. Discussion or consideration by the Brown v. Board of Education Scholarship Program Awards Committee of records or confidential matters excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 3 of §2.2-3705.4, and meetings of the Committee to deliberate concerning the annual maximum scholarship award, review and consider scholarship applications and requests for scholarship award renewal, and cancel, rescind, or recover scholarship awards. 38. Discussion or consideration by the Virginia Port Authority of records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 1 of § 2.2-3705.6. 39. Discussion or consideration by the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Retirement System acting pursuant to §51.1-124.30, by the Investment Advisory Committee appointed pursuant to §51.1-124.26, by any local retirement system, acting pursuant to §51.1-803, by the Board of the Virginia College Savings Plan acting pursuant to §23-38.80, or by the Virginia College Savings Plan's Investment Advisory Committee appointed pursuant to §23-38.79:1 of records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 25 of § 2.2-3705.7. 40. Discussion or consideration of records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 3 of §2.2-3705.6. 41. Discussion or consideration by the Board of Education of records relating to the denial, suspension, or revocation of teacher licenses excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 12 of §2.2-3705.3. 42. Those portions of meetings of the Virginia Military Advisory Council or any commission created by executive order for the purpose of studying and making recommendations regarding preventing closure or realignment of federal military and national security installations and facilities located in Virginia and relocation of such facilities to Virginia, or a local or regional military affairs organization appointed by a local governing body, during which there is discussion of records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 12 of §2.2-3705.2. 43. Discussion or consideration by the Board of Trustees of the Veterans Services Foundation of records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 29 of §2.2-3705.7. 44. Discussion or consideration by the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission of records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 23 of §2.2-3705.6. 45. Discussion or consideration by the board of directors of the Commercial Space Flight Authority of records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 24 of §2.2-3705.6. 46. Discussion or consideration of personal and proprietary information that are excluded from the provisions of this chapter pursuant to (i) subdivision 25 of §2.2-3705.6 or (ii) subsection E of §10.1-104.7. This exemption shall not apply to the discussion or consideration of records that contain information that has been certified for release by the person who is the subject of the information or transformed into a statistical or aggregate form that does not allow identification of the person who supplied, or is the subject of, the information. 47. (Effective July 1, 2018) Discussion or consideration by the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority of records excluded from this chapter pursuant to subdivision 1 of §2.2-3705.3 or subdivision 34 of §2.2-3705.7. B. No resolution, ordinance, rule, contract, regulation or motion adopted, passed or agreed to in a closed meeting shall become effective unless the public body, following the meeting, reconvenes in open meeting and takes a vote of the membership on such resolution, ordinance, rule, contract, regulation, or motion that shall have its substance reasonably identified in the open meeting. C. Public officers improperly selected due to the failure of the public body to comply with the other provisions of this section shall be de facto officers and, as such, their official actions are valid until they obtain notice of the legal defect in their election. D. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the holding of conferences between two or more public bodies, or their representatives, but these conferences shall be subject to the same procedures for holding closed meetings as are applicable to any other public body. E. This section shall not be construed to (i) require the disclosure of any contract between the Department of Health Professions and an impaired practitioner entered into pursuant to Chapter 25.1 (§54.1-2515 et seq.) of Title 54.1 or (ii) require the board of directors of any authority created pursuant to the Industrial Development and Revenue Bond Act (§ 15.2-4900 et seq.), or any public body empowered to issue industrial revenue bonds by general or special law, to identify a business or industry to which subdivision A 5 applies. However, such business or industry shall be identified as a matter of public record at least 30 days prior to the actual date of the board's authorization of the sale or issuance of such bonds. §15.2-2160. Provision of telecommunications services. A. Any locality that operates an electric distribution system may provide telecommunications services, including local exchange telephone service as defined in §56-1, within or outside its boundaries if the locality obtains a certificate pursuant to §56-265.4:4. Such locality may provide telecommunications services within any locality in which it has electric distribution system facilities as of March 1, 2002. Any locality providing telecommunications services on March 1, 2002, may provide telecommunications, Internet access, broadband, information, and data transmission services within any locality within 75 miles of the geographic boundaries of its electric distribution system as such system existed on March 1, 2002. The BVU Authority may provide telecommunications, Internet access, broadband, information, and data transmission services as provided in the BVU Authority Act (§15.2-7200 et seq.). B. A locality that has obtained a certificate pursuant to §56-265.4:4 shall (i) comply with all applicable laws and regulations for the provision of telecommunications services; (ii) make a reasonable estimate of the amount of all federal, state, and local taxes (including income taxes and consumer utility taxes) that would be required to be paid or collected for each fiscal year if the locality were a for-profit provider of telecommunications services, (iii) prepare reasonable estimates of the amount of any franchise fees and other state and local fees (including permit fees and pole rental fees), and right-of-way charges that would be incurred in each fiscal year if the locality were a for-profit provider of telecommunications services, (iv) prepare and publish annually financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles showing the results of operations of its provision of telecommunications services, and (v) maintain records demonstrating compliance with the provisions of this section that shall be made available for inspection and copying pursuant to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§2.2-3700 et seq.). C. Each locality that has obtained a certificate pursuant to § 56-265.4:4 shall provide nondiscriminatory access to for-profit providers of telecommunications services on a first-come, first-served basis to rights-of-way, poles, conduits or other permanent distribution facilities owned, leased or operated by the locality unless the facilities have insufficient capacity for such access and additional capacity cannot reasonably be added to the facilities. D. The prices charged and the revenue received by a locality for providing telecommunications services shall not be cross-subsidized by other revenues of the locality or affiliated entities, except (i) in areas where no offers exist from for-profit providers of such telecommunications services, or (ii) as permitted by the provisions of subdivision B 5 of § 56-265.4:4. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to Internet access, broadband, information, and data transmission services provided by any locality providing telecommunications services on March 1, 2002. E. No locality providing such services shall acquire by eminent domain the facilities or other property of any telecommunications service provider to offer cable, telephone, data transmission or other information or online programming services. F. Public records of a locality that has obtained a certificate pursuant to §56-265.4:4, which records contain confidential proprietary information or trade secrets pertaining to the provision of telecommunications service, shall be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (§2.2-3700 et seq.). As used in this subsection, a public record contains confidential proprietary information or trade secrets if its acquisition by a competing provider of telecommunications services would provide the competing provider with a competitive benefit. However, the exemption provided by this subsection shall not apply to any authority created pursuant to the BVU Authority Act (§15.2-7200 et seq.). G. As used in this section, "locality" shall mean any county, city, town, authority, or other governmental entity which provides or seeks to provide telecommunications services. Every locality shall comply with the requirements of §56-265.4:4 or 56-484.7:1 unless otherwise specifically exempt. Any locality that has obtained a certificate pursuant to § 56-265.4:4, and which surrenders or transfers such certificate shall continue to remain subject to subsections C, D, and E if any substantial part of its telecommunications assets or operations are transferred to an entity in which the locality has the right to appoint board members, directors, or managers. §15.2-7202. Definitions. As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Authority" means the BVU Authority created by entity conversion of Bristol Virginia Utilities by this chapter. "Board," "Authority Board," or "Board of Directors" means the governing body of the Authority. "Bonds" means any bonds, notes, debentures, bond acceptance notes, or other evidence of financial indebtedness either issued or assumed by the Authority pursuant to this chapter. "Bristol Virginia Utilities Board" means the Board of Directors of Bristol Virginia Utilities governing that entity until the Authority Board takes office on July 1, 2010. "City" means the City of Bristol, Virginia. "City Council" means the City Council of the City of Bristol, Virginia. "Commission" means the Virginia State Corporation Commission. "Commonwealth" means the Commonwealth of Virginia. "Infrastructure" means all property, whether
attached to real property or not, now used by Bristol Virginia Utilities and
hereafter used by the Authority for the provision of (i) electric, water,
sewer, telecommunications, internet, and cable television services and (ii) all
other utility "MLEC" means any city, county, or town certificated to provide local exchange and/or interexchange telecommunications services pursuant to §56-265.4:4 and any authority granted such powers pursuant to § 15.2-7209. "Political subdivision" means, when referring to an entity other than the Authority, a locality, authority, or other public body of the Commonwealth or of any state in which the Authority does business. "Utility," "utilities," or "utility services" means and includes electric, water, sewer, and telecommunications, internet and cable television services, including all other services that might be lawfully rendered by use of its fiber optic system. §15.2-7203. BVU Authority; operating name or names. The name of the Authority shall be The BVU Authority is hereby authorized to operate under the
names BVU, BVU OptiNet, CPC OptiNet, and BVU Focus. The name of the Authority
and any division or operating name may be changed upon approval of a simple
majority of the Board §15.2-7206. Organization; compensation. A. The following provisions apply to the Board of Directors:
2. The Board 3. The Board
8. The Board may appoint committees from among its membership in accordance with its bylaws. 9. No Board member shall receive any financial compensation for service on the Board. The Board may reimburse members for reasonable expenses they incur while serving on the Board. Any member seeking reimbursement shall itemize and document by receipts such expenses pursuant to subsection E of §15.2-7205. B. The following provisions apply to the president: 1. The Board shall continue to appoint and contract with a president to manage the operations of the Authority, and the contract with the president that is in effect as of January 1, 2016, shall continue in effect and be binding upon the Authority. 2. The term of the president's employment contract shall not exceed three years. The board may vote to renew the contract of the president for additional terms not to exceed three years each. 3. The president's employment contract shall not contain a severance payout upon termination amounting to more than 12 months of his base salary. 4. The president shall have the sole authority to hire, fire, and manage such staff and contractors as the president deems expedient to the operation of the Authority, subject to the availability of budgeted funds, and to assign such positions, titles, powers, and duties at such salaries as the president deems most effective for the efficient operation of the Authority. 5. The president shall not have the power to enter into an employment contract with any employee of the Authority unless the Board ratifies such contract by a majority vote in an open meeting. Such contract shall be subject to the term and severance payout restrictions applicable to the president's contract as provided in subdivisions 2 and 3. 6. The Board may appoint an employee as acting president during any period of vacancy. The Board shall advertise the vacancy of the presidency and accept applications from candidates interested in filling the vacancy. C. The Board shall vote annually to retain outside legal counsel to advise the Authority on legal matters. The legal counsel shall be licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth, shall not be an employee of the Authority, and shall be separate from and independent of any legal counsel for the City of Bristol, Scott County, or Washington County. D. The Board shall authorize the position of executive vice-president/CFO, to be filled and managed by the president. E. Notwithstanding the quorum requirement in subsection A, any decision of the Board related to the provision, use, operation, or maintenance of water or sewer systems shall be made by a majority vote of the three members of the Board representing the City of Bristol, Virginia. §15.2-7207. Powers generally. A. The Authority is hereby granted all powers
reasonably necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this
chapter in order to provide electric, water, sewer, and telecommunication and
related services, including without limitation, cable television internet, and
all other services that might be lawfully rendered by use of the Authority's fiber
optic system, subject to all 1. To adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business; 2. To sue and be sued in the Authority's name; 3.
20. To build or facilitate the building of, as the first broadband priority of the Authority, wired broadband infrastructure to serve residents in the Authority's lawful service area who are not served by any wired broadband service provider. The president of the Authority shall annually provide the Board with a report detailing (i) the number of requests for broadband services received from residents in unserved areas, (ii) the number of such requests for which the Authority has provided a connection to broadband services, and (iii) the costs of providing such broadband service. B. The Authority is authorized to (i) operate only in Virginia and Tennessee; (ii) offer broadband services only in Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington Counties, Tennessee; the City of Bristol, Virginia; and Bland, Buchanan, Dickinson, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe Counties in Virginia, together with any towns located in such counties; and (iii) offer cable television services or other video services only within the electric utility service territory of Bristol Virginia Utilities as it existed on December 31, 2009, in the City of Bristol, Virginia, and Washington County. Notwithstanding the geographic limitations of this subsection, the Authority shall have the right to sell any of its utility services at wholesale to an independent third party in which the Authority has no ownership or management interest and no economic interest apart from the sale of utility services, to allow such independent third party to distribute and sell the utility services at retail in areas outside of the Authority's geographic limitations. C. Whenever any grant, loan, or application for such grant or loan includes or refers to funding for broadband deployment, the Authority shall ensure that (i) funds are allocated to the maximum extent possible to projects that expand broadband deployment to areas, residents, or businesses that are unserved by wired broadband; (ii) in any funding of grants for broadband deployment that include areas already served by wired broadband, such areas already served are incidental to and are crossed only for the purpose of reaching an unserved area; and (iii) any broadband network built will be operated on an open-access basis, available to multiple broadband providers, with dark fibers and capacity sufficient for competitive broadband providers to lease the same from the Authority at commercially reasonable rates. D. The Authority shall not seek to become or establish a wireless service authority under the Virginia Wireless Service Authorities Act (§15.2-5431.1 et seq.) or contract for services with such an authority. E. The Authority shall not solicit or contract with any locality or other entity possessing the power of eminent domain in order to cause such a third party to exercise its power of eminent domain to acquire any easements or other property where the Authority itself lacks such power. F. The Authority shall not have the power to make charitable donations. §15.2-7208. Powers.
§56-265.4:4. Certificate to operate as a telephone utility. A. The Commission may grant certificates to competing telephone companies, or any county, city or town that operates an electric distribution system, for interexchange service where it finds that such action is justified by public interest, and is in accordance with such terms, conditions, limitations, and restrictions as may be prescribed by the Commission for competitive telecommunications services. A certificate to provide interexchange services shall not authorize the holder to provide local exchange services. The Commission may grant a certificate to a carrier, or any county, city or town that operates an electric distribution system, to furnish local exchange services as provided in subsection B. B. 1. After notice to all local exchange carriers certificated in the Commonwealth and other interested parties and following an opportunity for hearing, the Commission may grant certificates to any telephone company, or any county, city or town that operates an electric distribution system, proposing to furnish local exchange telephone service in the Commonwealth. In determining whether to grant a certificate under this subsection, the Commission may require that the applicant show that it possesses sufficient technical, financial, and managerial resources. Before granting any such certificate, the Commission shall: (i) consider whether such action reasonably protects the affordability of basic local exchange telephone service, as such service is defined by the Commission, and reasonably assures the continuation of quality local exchange telephone service; and (ii) find that such action will not unreasonably prejudice or disadvantage any class of telephone company customers or telephone service providers, including the new entrant and any incumbent local exchange telephone company, and is in the public interest. Except as provided in subsection A of §15.2-2160, all local exchange certificates granted by the Commission after July 1, 2002, shall be to provide service in any territory in the Commonwealth unless the applicant specifically requests a different certificated service territory. The Commission shall amend the certificated service territory of each local exchange carrier that was previously certificated to provide service in only part of the Commonwealth to permit such carrier's provision of local exchange service throughout the Commonwealth beginning on September 1, 2002, unless that local exchange carrier notifies the Commission prior to September 1, 2002, that it elects to retain its existing certificated service territory. A local exchange carrier shall only be considered an incumbent in any certificated service territory in which it was considered an incumbent prior to July 1, 2002, except that the Commission may make changes to a local exchange carrier's incumbent certificated service territory at the request of those incumbent local exchange carriers that are directly involved in a proposed change in the certificated service territory. 2. A Commission order, including appropriate findings of fact and conclusions of law, denying or approving, with or without modification, an application for certification of a new entrant shall be entered no more than 180 days from the filing of the application, except that the Commission, upon notice to all parties in interest, may extend that period in additional 30-day increments not to exceed an additional 90 days in all. 3. The Commission shall (i) promote and seek to assure the
provision of competitive services to all classes of customers throughout all geographic
areas of the Commonwealth by a variety of service providers; (ii) require
equity in the treatment of the certificated local exchange telephone companies
so as to encourage competition based on service, quality, and price differences
between alternative providers; (iii) consider the impact on competition of any
government-imposed restrictions limiting the markets to be served or the
services offered by any provider; (iv) determine the form of rate regulation,
if any, for the local exchange services to be provided by the applicant and,
upon application, the form of rate regulation for the comparable services of
the incumbent local exchange telephone company provided in the geographical
area to be served by the applicant; and (v) promulgate standards to assure that
there is no cross-subsidization of the applicant's competitive local exchange
telephone services by any other of its services over which it has a monopoly,
whether or not those services are telephone services. The Commission shall also
adopt safeguards to ensure that the prices charged and the revenue received by
a county, city or town for providing telecommunications services shall not be
cross-subsidized from other revenues of the county, city or town or affiliated
entities, except (i) in areas where no offers exist from for-profit providers
of such telecommunications services, or (ii) as authorized pursuant to
subdivision 5 4. The Commission shall discharge the responsibilities of state commissions as set forth in the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-104) (the Act) and applicable law and regulations, including, but not limited to, the arbitration of interconnection agreements between local exchange carriers; however, the Commission may exercise its discretion to defer selected issues under the Act. If the Commission incurs additional costs in arbitrating such agreements or resolving related legal actions or disputes that cannot be recovered through the maximum levy authorized pursuant to § 58.1-2660, that levy shall be increased above the levy authorized by that section to the extent necessary to recover such additional costs. 5. Upon the Commission's granting of a certificate to a
county, city or town under this section, such county, city, or town (i) shall
be subject to regulation by the Commission for intrastate telecommunications
services, (ii) shall have the same duties and obligations as other certificated
providers of telecommunications services, (iii) shall separately account for
the revenues, expenses, property, and source of investment dollars associated
with the provision of such services, and (iv) to ensure that there is no
unreasonable advantage gained from a government agency's taxing authority and
control of government-owned land, shall charge an amount for such services that
(a) does not include any subsidies, unless approved by the Commission, and (b)
takes into account, by imputation or allocation, equivalent charges for all
taxes, pole rentals, rights of way, licenses, and similar costs incurred by
for-profit providers. Each certificated county, city, or town that provides
telecommunications services regulated by the Commission shall file an annual
report with the Commission demonstrating that the requirements of clauses (iii)
and (iv) 6. A locality that has obtained a certificate pursuant to this section shall (i) comply with all applicable laws and regulations for the provision of telecommunications services; (ii) make a reasonable estimate of the amount of all federal, state, and local taxes (including income taxes and consumer utility taxes) that would be required to be paid or collected for each fiscal year if the locality were a for-profit provider of telecommunications services, (iii) prepare reasonable estimates of the amount of any franchise fees and other state and local fees (including permit fees and pole rental fees), and right-of-way charges that would be incurred in each fiscal year if the locality were a for-profit provider of telecommunications services, (iv) prepare and publish annually financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles showing the results of operations of its provision of telecommunications services, and (v) maintain records demonstrating compliance with the provisions of this section that shall be made available for inspection and copying pursuant to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§2.2-3700 et seq.). 7. Each locality that has obtained a certificate pursuant to this section shall provide nondiscriminatory access to for-profit providers of telecommunications services on a first-come, first-served basis to rights-of-way, poles, conduits or other permanent distribution facilities owned, leased or operated by the locality unless the facilities have insufficient capacity for such access and additional capacity cannot reasonably be added to the facilities. 8. The prices charged and the revenue received by a locality
for providing telecommunications services shall not be cross-subsidized by other
revenues of the locality or affiliated entities, except (i) in areas where no
offers exist from for-profit providers of such telecommunications services, or
(ii) as permitted by the provisions of subdivision 9. The Commission shall promulgate rules necessary to
implement this section. In no event, however, shall the rules necessary to
implement 10. Public records of a locality that has obtained a certificate pursuant to this section, which records contain confidential proprietary information or trade secrets pertaining to the provision of telecommunications service, shall be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (§2.2-3700 et seq.). As used in this subdivision, a public record contains confidential proprietary information or trade secrets if its acquisition by a competing provider of telecommunications services would provide the competing provider with a competitive benefit. However, the exemption provided by this subdivision shall not apply to any authority created pursuant to the BVU Authority Act (§15.2-7200 et seq.). C. Article 5.1 (§56-484.7:1 et seq.) of Chapter 15 D. Any county, city, or town that has obtained a certificate pursuant to this section may construct, own, maintain, and operate a fiber optic or communications infrastructure to provide consumers with Internet services, data transmission services, and any other communications service that its infrastructure is capable of delivering; provided, however, nothing in this subsection shall authorize the provision of cable television services or other multi-channel video programming service. Furthermore, nothing in this subsection shall alter the authority of the Commission. E. Any county, city, or town that has obtained a certificate pursuant to this section and that had installed a cable television headend prior to December 31, 2002, is authorized to own and operate a cable television system or other multi-channel video programming service and shall be exempt from the provisions of §§15.2-2108.4 through 15.2-2108.8. Nothing in this subsection shall authorize the Commission to regulate cable television service. 2. That §§15.2-7206 and 15.2-7207 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows: §15.2-7206. Organization; compensation. A. The following provisions apply to the Board of Directors:
2. The Board 3. The Board
8. The Board may appoint committees from among its membership in accordance with its bylaws. 9. No Board member shall receive any financial compensation for service on the Board. The Board may reimburse members for reasonable expenses they incur while serving on the Board. Any member seeking reimbursement shall itemize and document by receipts such expenses pursuant to subsection E of §15.2-7205. B. The following provisions apply to the president: 1. The Board shall continue to appoint and contract with a president to manage the operations of the Authority, and the contract with the president that is in effect as of January 1, 2016, shall continue in effect and be binding upon the Authority. 2. The term of the president's employment contract shall not exceed three years. The board may vote to renew the contract of the president for additional terms not to exceed three years each. 3. The president's employment contract shall not contain a severance payout upon termination amounting to more than 12 months of his base salary. 4. The president shall have the sole authority to hire, fire, and manage such staff and contractors as the president deems expedient to the operation of the Authority, subject to the availability of budgeted funds, and to assign such positions, titles, powers, and duties at such salaries as the president deems most effective for the efficient operation of the Authority. 5. The president shall not have the power to enter into an employment contract with any employee of the Authority unless the Board ratifies such contract by a majority vote in an open meeting. Such contract shall be subject to the term and severance payout restrictions applicable to the president's contract as provided in subdivisions 2 and 3. 6. The Board may appoint an employee as acting president during any period of vacancy. The Board shall advertise the vacancy of the presidency and accept applications from candidates interested in filling the vacancy. C. The Board shall vote annually to retain outside legal counsel to advise the Authority on legal matters. The legal counsel shall be licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth, shall not be an employee of the Authority, and shall be separate from and independent of any legal counsel for the City of Bristol, Virginia, or Washington County. D. The Board shall authorize the position of executive vice-president/CFO, to be filled and managed by the president. E. Notwithstanding the quorum requirement in subsection A, any decision of the Board related to the provision, use, operation, or maintenance of water or sewer systems shall be made by a majority vote of the three members of the Board representing the City of Bristol, Virginia. §15.2-7207. Powers generally. A. The Authority is hereby granted all powers
reasonably necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this
chapter in order to provide electric, water, sewer, and telecommunication and
related services, including without limitation, cable television internet, and
all other services that might be lawfully rendered by use of the Authority's
fiber optic system, subject to all 1. To adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business; 2. To sue and be sued in the Authority's name; 3.
19. To build or facilitate the building of, as the first broadband priority of the Authority, wired broadband infrastructure to serve residents in the Authority's lawful service area who are not served by any wired broadband service provider. The president of the Authority shall annually provide the Board with a report detailing (i) the number of requests for broadband services received from residents in unserved areas, (ii) the number of such requests for which the Authority has provided a connection to broadband services, and (iii) the costs of providing such broadband service. B. The Authority is authorized to (i) operate only in Virginia and Tennessee; (ii) offer broadband services only in Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington Counties, Tennessee; the City of Bristol, Virginia; and Bland, Buchanan, Dickinson, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe Counties in Virginia, together with any towns located in such counties; and (iii) offer cable television services or other video services and the electric utility service territory of Bristol Virginia Utilities as it existed on December 31, 2009, in the City of Bristol, Virginia, and Washington County. Notwithstanding the geographic limitations of this subsection, the Authority shall have the right to sell any of its utility services at wholesale to an independent third party in which the Authority has no ownership or management interest and no economic interest apart from the sale of utility services, to allow such independent third party to distribute and sell the utility services at retail in areas outside of the Authority's geographic limitations. C. Whenever any grant, loan, or application for such grant or loan includes or refers to funding for broadband deployment, the Authority shall ensure that (i) funds are allocated to the maximum extent possible to projects that expand broadband deployment to areas, residents, or businesses that are unserved by wired broadband; (ii) in any funding of grants for broadband deployment that include areas already served by wired broadband, such areas already served are incidental to and are crossed only for the purpose of reaching an unserved area; and (iii) any broadband network built will be operated on an open-access basis, available to multiple broadband providers, with dark fibers and capacity sufficient for competitive broadband providers to lease the same from the Authority at commercially reasonable rates. D. The Authority shall not seek to become or establish a wireless service authority under the Virginia Wireless Service Authorities Act (§15.2-5431.1 et seq.) or contract for services with such an authority. E. The Authority shall not solicit or contract with any locality or other entity possessing the power of eminent domain in order to cause such a third party to exercise its power of eminent domain to acquire any easements or other property where the Authority itself lacks such power. F. The Authority shall not have the power to make charitable donations. 3. That upon the completion of the transfer to a third party of ownership of the Authority's broadband service, commonly known as BVU OptiNet, any director who is a member of the Abingdon Town Council, appointed by the Abingdon Town Council, and any director who is a Scott County citizen and not a member of the Scott County Board of Supervisors, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, shall both be removed from their directorships, and the second enactment of this act shall become effective. 4. That §15.2-2108.18 of the Code of Virginia is repealed. 5. That this act shall not be construed to affect the contract of employment existing between the BVU Authority or BVU Board of Directors and the Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of the BVU Authority as of the effective date of this act. 6. That the members of the Board of Directors of the BVU Authority in office on June 30, 2016, are hereby removed from office as of July 1, 2016. Notwithstanding the appointment of any director on or before July 1, 2010, or of his successor, any term of office begun before July 1, 2016, and scheduled to end after that date is hereby terminated. No person who was a member of the Board of Directors in office on June 30, 2016, shall be eligible for reappointment to the Board prior to July 1, 2018. 7. That no later than July 1, 2016, the Auditor of Public Accounts or his legally authorized representative shall examine the accounts and books of the BVU Authority. 8. That any sale or disposition of any of the Authority's assets shall be made in accordance with the BVU Authority Transition Agreement made between the City of Bristol, Virginia, and Bristol Virginia Utilities, dated November 2, 2009, as it may be amended, except to the extent necessary to comply with any federal tax laws. 9. That an emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage. |
