Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 24 of Title 2.2 an article numbered 31, consisting of sections numbered 2.2-2499.9 through 2.2-2499.14, as follows:

§2.2-2499.9. Social Safety Net Advisory Board established; purpose.

The Social Safety Net Advisory Board (the Board) is established as an advisory board in the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the Board is to advise the Governor on efforts to improve the Commonwealth's social safety net and assist the providers who are part of that system.

§2.2-2499.10. Membership; terms; quorum; meetings.

A. The Board shall have a total membership of 20 members that shall consist of 15 nonlegislative citizen members and five ex officio members. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed by the Governor for a term of four years, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, and shall include three social workers specializing in policy and planning; two community, administrative, and research social workers; two medical or geriatric social workers; two social workers specializing in mental health and substance use; two child and family social workers; a military social worker; a justice and corrections social worker; a school social worker; and a social work educator working in a higher education setting. Nonlegislative citizen members shall have a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in social work from a college or university social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Each nonlegislative citizen member shall be a citizen of the Commonwealth and shall be a member of at least one of the following organizations: the Council on Social Work Education, the Latino Social Workers Organization, the National Association of Social Workers, the National Association of Black Social Workers, the Society for Social Work and Research, or the Virginia Association of School Social Workers or a faculty member of a college or university in the Commonwealth that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

B. The Secretary of the Commonwealth, the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, and the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, or their designees, shall serve ex officio with nonvoting privileges.

C. Ex officio members of the Board shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. 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.

D. 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.

E. The 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 Board shall be held at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.

§2.2-2499.11. 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.

§2.2-2499.12. Powers and duties of the Board.

The Board shall have the power and duty to:

1. Advise the Governor on social issues affecting clients and communities and the development and enhancement of social safety net programs.

2. Sponsor events and educational media outreach and programs, conduct studies and research, prepare reports, and present recommendations to the Governor regarding social issues and social safety net programs and issues important to providers and clients.

3. Submit an annual report by December 1 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 of the Board shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Board no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted 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 and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

§2.2-2499.13. Staffing by the Board.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Board, upon request.

§2.2-2499.14. Sunset.

This chapter shall expire on July 1, 2027.

2. That the initial appointments of nonlegislative citizen members shall be staggered as follows: (i) one social worker specializing in policy and planning; one community, administrative, and research social worker; one medical or geriatric social worker; one social worker specializing in mental health and substance use; one child and family social worker; and one member who is either a military, justice and corrections, or school social worker for a term of one year; (ii) one social worker specializing in policy and planning; one community, administrative, and research social worker; one medical or geriatric social worker; one social worker specializing in mental health and substance use; one child and family social worker; and one member who is either a military, justice and corrections, or school social worker for a term of two years; (iii) one social worker specializing in policy and planning and one member who is either a military, justice and corrections, or school social worker for a term of three years; (iv) and one social work educator working in a higher education setting for a term of four years.