2025 SESSION

INTRODUCED

24105198D

HOUSE BILL NO. 1373

Offered January 15, 2024

A BILL to amend and reenact § 23.1-3118 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Roanoke Higher Education Authority; board of trustees; powers and duties; specialized noncredit workforce training.

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Patrons—Ballard and Obenshain

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Referred to Committee on Education

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 23.1-3118 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 23.1-3118. Powers of the board.

A. The board has, in addition to such other powers, all the corporate powers given to corporations by the provisions of Title 13.1, except in those cases where, by the express terms of its provisions, this law is confined to corporations created under that title.

B. The board may issue bonds upon the advice of bond counsel and a financial institution with expertise in bonds and investments. Bonds issued under the provisions of this section shall not be deemed to constitute a debt or a pledge of the faith and credit of the Commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions other than the Authority.

C. The board may accept, execute, and administer any trust in which it may have an interest under the terms of any instrument creating the trust.

D. The board may lease property or hold any property for which it may acquire the title and dispose of such property in a manner that will benefit the Authority.

E. The board may enter into agreements with public institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth to provide adult education, continuing education, undergraduate-level education, and graduate-level instructional programs. The board may enter into agreements with local school boards and other entities to provide such programs as it deems necessary and appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Authority. The board shall seek opportunities to collaborate with local comprehensive community colleges to meet specialized noncredit workforce training needs identified by industry. However, if local comprehensive community colleges are unable to meet identified industry needs, then the board may seek to collaborate with other education providers to provide or may provide Center-delivered specialized noncredit workforce training independent of local comprehensive community colleges.

F. The board may establish, with such funds as are appropriated for this purpose or made available to it, the Center.

G. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any real estate and tangible personal property held or acquired by the board is exempt from any prohibition of the use of noncash assistance as matching funds.

H. The board may, on behalf of the Authority or the Center, apply for, accept, and direct the expenditure of gifts, grants, or donations from public or private sources to enable it to carry out the purposes of this article. Any locality may make gifts and donations of real property, personal property, or money to the Authority.