§ 136-222. Commission established; appointment and terms of members; chairman; reports; commission funds; staff.
§ 136‑222. Commissionestablished; appointment and terms of members; chairman; reports; commissionfunds; staff.
(a) Commissionestablished. The Virginia‑North Carolina High‑Speed Rail CompactCommission is hereby established as a regional instrumentality and a commonagency of each signatory party, empowered in a manner hereinafter to carry outthe purposes of the Compact.
(b) Members, terms. The Virginia members of the Commission shall be appointed as follows: threemembers of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the House ofDelegates, and two members of the Senate, appointed by the Senate Committee onRules. The North Carolina members of the Commission shall be composed of fivemembers as follows: two members of the Senate appointed by the General Assemblyupon recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, two members ofthe House of Representatives appointed by the General Assembly uponrecommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and oneappointed by the Governor.
(c) Chair. The chairof the Commission shall be chosen by the members of the Commission from amongits membership for a term of one year and shall alternate between the memberstates.
(d) Meetings andreports. The Commission shall meet at least twice each year, at least once inVirginia and once in North Carolina, and shall issue a report of its activitieseach year.
(e) Funds. TheCommission may utilize, for its operation and expenses, funds appropriated toit therefore by the legislatures of Virginia and North Carolina, or receivedfrom federal sources.
(f) Expenses ofMembers. Virginia members of the Commission shall receive compensation andreimbursement for expenses in accordance with the applicable laws of thatstate. North Carolina members of the Commission shall receive per diem,subsistence, and travel allowances in accordance with G.S. 120‑31, 138‑5,or 138‑6, as appropriate.
(g) Staff. Primarystaff to the Commission shall be provided by the Virginia Department of Railand Public Transportation and the North Carolina Department of Transportation. (2004‑114, s. 1.)