HB 2157

Abstract

Richard Bland College; governance. Removes the authority of the board of visitors of The College of William and Mary in Virginia to supervise, manage, and control Richard Bland College and establishes the nine-member board of visitors of Richard Bland College to generally direct the affairs of Richard Bland College, including appointing all teachers and fixing their salaries, providing for the employment of other personnel as required, and caring for and preserving all property belonging to Richard Bland College. The bill provides for the transfer of relevant property and rights thereto, contracts, and duties from the board of visitors of The College of William and Mary in Virginia to the board of visitors of Richard Bland College. The bill also requires the board of visitors of Richard Bland College to focus its efforts on preparing students for academic and career success and permits the board of visitors to take several enumerated actions in furtherance of such efforts. The bill also provides that the audit conducted by the Auditor of Public Accounts for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, will be the last audit for which Richard Bland College is treated as a consolidated entity of the board of visitors of The College of William and Mary in Virginia and that beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the Auditor of Public Accounts shall submit its audit report on Richard Bland College to the board of visitors of Richard Bland College. The provisions of the bill, with the exception of the provision requiring Richard Bland College to submit a report to the General Assembly by December 31, 2025, have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 742.

An Act to amend and reenact § 23.1-2802 of the Code of Virginia; to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 23.1 a chapter numbered 21.1, consisting of sections numbered 23.1-2105 through 23.1-2109; and to repeal § 23.1-2806 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Richard Bland College; governance.