reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 10.1 - Borrowing by School Boards from Virginia Retirement System › § 22.1-161.3. Issuance of bonds; procedure; form and requirements

Such bonds shall be issued by the school board in the name of the county, city or town. For the payment of the principal of and the interest on such bonds, the full faith and credit of the county, city or town shall be pledged. The bonds shall be signed by the chairman of the school board and countersigned by the clerk thereof, but the bonds may bear or be executed with the facsimile signature of one of such officials, and in the case of coupon bonds, the coupons may bear the facsimile signatures of both of such officials; the bonds shall be under the seal of the school board, but in lieu of impressing such seal physically upon such bonds, a facsimile of such seal may be imprinted on the bonds if so authorized by the school board. The bonds shall be in the denomination or denominations of not less than $1,000 each; they may be in coupon or registered form, or both, as may be agreed upon by the school board and the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Retirement System; they shall bear interest at the agreed rate or rates, and such interest shall be payable semiannually; they shall be serial bonds with maturities and amounts as agreed upon but the first maturity date shall not be longer than two years from the date of such bonds and the maximum maturity date shall not be longer than thirty years from the date of such bonds. The place or places of payment of principal and interest shall be as agreed upon by the school board and the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Retirement System. In case any officer whose signature or a facsimile thereof shall appear on any bond or coupon shall cease to be such officer before the delivery of such bond, the signature or facsimile shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient for all purposes the same as if he had remained in office until such delivery, and any bond may bear the signature of a person who at the actual time of the execution of such bond shall be the proper officer to sign the bond although at the date of the bond, the person may not have been such officer.
1995, c. 250.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 10.1 - Borrowing by School Boards from Virginia Retirement System › § 22.1-161.4. Disposition of proceeds from sale of bonds; separate fund

All proceeds received from the sale of the bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be paid to the treasurer or chief financial officer of the county, city or town, who shall promptly deposit such funds in a bank or banks as prescribed by general law. He shall account for such money through a fund, separate from all other funds, in the system of accounting.
1995, c. 250.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 10.1 - Borrowing by School Boards from Virginia Retirement System › § 22.1-161.5. Investment of proceeds pending application to authorized purpose

Pending the application of the proceeds of any bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter to the purpose for which such bonds have been issued, all or any part of such proceeds may be invested, upon resolution of the school board, in securities that are legal investments under the laws of this Commonwealth for public sinking funds, which shall mature, or which shall be subject to redemption by the holder thereof at the option of such holder, not later than the date on which the moneys will be required to make the payments for which such moneys have been designated. Any security so purchased as investment of the proceeds of such bonds shall be deemed at all times to be a part of such proceeds, and the interest accruing thereon and any profit realized from such investment shall be credited to such proceeds. Any security so purchased shall be held by the treasurer or chief financial officer of the county, city or town, and shall be sold by him upon resolution of the school board directing such sale, at the best price obtainable, or presented for redemption, whenever it shall be necessary, as determined by such resolution, in order to provide moneys to meet the purpose for which the bonds shall have been issued.
1995, c. 250.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 10.1 - Borrowing by School Boards from Virginia Retirement System › § 22.1-161.7. Tax to pay principal and interest on bonds

For the payment of the principal of and the interest on any bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter, the governing body of the county, city or town is hereby authorized and required to levy and collect annually, at the same time and in the same manner as other taxes of the county, city or town are assessed, levied and collected, a tax upon all locally taxable property within the county, city or town over and above all other taxes authorized or limited by law sufficient to pay such principal and interest as the same respectively become due and payable.
1995, c. 250.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 10.1 - Borrowing by School Boards from Virginia Retirement System › § 22.1-161.8. Bonds deemed negotiable instruments; sale of bonds by Trustees of Retirement System; bonds made legal investments

Bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter and purchased by the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Retirement System shall be deemed negotiable instruments under the laws of this Commonwealth. The Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, sell any such bonds so purchased and held by it at such time or times as to it may seem desirable in the management of the funds under its control; and such bonds are hereby made securities in which all public officers and bodies of this Commonwealth, and all counties, cities and towns and municipal subdivisions, all insurance companies and associations, all savings banks and savings institutions, including savings and loan associations, trust companies, beneficial and benevolent associations, administrators, guardians, executors, trustees and other fiduciaries in this Commonwealth may properly and legally invest funds under their control.
1995, c. 250.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-162. Definitions

As used in this chapter:
1. "Authority" means the Virginia Public School Authority.
2. "Board of Commissioners" means the Board of Commissioners of the Authority.
3. "Bonds of the Authority" includes notes and other obligations issued by the Authority for any of its purposes.
4. "Local school bonds" means bonds or other obligations issued by counties, cities and towns under the provisions of Chapter 26 (§ 15.2-2600 et seq.) of Title 15.2 solely for the purpose of financing capital projects for public schools.
1980, c. 559.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-163. Authority created; public body corporate and agency of Commonwealth

The Virginia Public School Authority is created as a public body corporate and an agency and instrumentality of the Commonwealth.
Code 1950, § 22-29.3; 1962, c. 194; 1980, c. 559; 1998, cc. 4, 900.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-164. Board of Commissioners; membership; terms; compensation and expenses; chairman and vice-chairman; quorum; employees, agents, etc.

All powers, rights and duties conferred by this chapter or other provisions of law upon the Authority shall be exercised by the Board of Commissioners of the Virginia Public School Authority. The Board of Commissioners shall consist of the State Treasurer, the State Comptroller, the Superintendent of Public Instruction or his designee, and five additional members to be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor for terms of six years each. Appointments to fill vacancies other than by expiration of term shall be made for the unexpired terms. The chairman and members of the Board of Commissioners shall receive such compensation as provided for by law.
The Governor shall designate one member of the Board of Commissioners as chairman who shall serve a two-year term. No member shall be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms as chairman. The chairman shall be the chief executive officer of the Authority and shall receive such compensation as the Governor shall fix. The State Treasurer, the State Comptroller, the Superintendent of Public Instruction and his designee shall be ineligible to serve as chairman. The chairman shall sign and execute all vouchers for the disbursement of funds belonging to the Authority upon authorization by the Board. Five members of the Board of Commissioners shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business of the Authority. The Board of Commissioners shall elect one of its members as vice-chairman, who shall exercise the powers of the chairman when so directed by the chairman.
The Board of Commissioners may employ or retain such employees, agents, financial advisers and attorneys as it may deem necessary and fix their compensation.
Code 1950, § 22-29.4; 1962, c. 194; 1972, c. 745; 1976, c. 22; 1980, cc. 559, 728; 2011, cc. 691, 714.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-165. Management and administration of moneys, etc., transferred from Literary Fund

The Authority shall manage and administer as provided in this chapter all moneys or obligations that may be set aside and transferred to it from the principal of the Literary Fund by the General Assembly for public school purposes pursuant to Article VIII, Section 8 of the Constitution of Virginia and any funds authorized by the General Assembly from the Literary Fund or otherwise appropriated by the General Assembly for public school purposes.
Code 1950, § 22-29.5; 1962, c. 194; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 1; 1980, c. 559; 1990, c. 909.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-166. Purchase and sale of local school bonds

The Authority is authorized to purchase local school bonds with any funds of the Authority available for such purpose, at public or private sale and for such price and on such terms as it shall determine. The Authority may pledge to the payment of the interest on and the principal of any bonds of the Authority all or any part of the local school bonds so purchased, including payments of principal and interest thereon as they shall become due. The Authority may also, subject to any such pledge, sell any such local school bonds so purchased and apply the proceeds of such sale in the purchase of other like local school bonds or for such purpose and in such manner as shall be provided by any resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds of the Authority, or the Authority may transfer such proceeds to the Literary Fund. For the purpose of Article VII, Section 10(b) of the Constitution of Virginia, the Authority shall be deemed a state agency authorized to purchase bonds issued with the consent of the school board and the governing body of the county by or on behalf of a county or district thereof for capital projects for school purposes.
Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, any city completely surrounded by a county having the urban county executive form of government may finance capital projects for school purposes through the Authority without the requirement of a voter referendum if the financing for the capital project is requested by both the city council and the school board.
The proceeds of all local school bonds issued pursuant to this chapter prior to July 1, 1975, may be used for any capital project for public schools as provided in the resolution by which their issuance was authorized.
Code 1950, § 22-29.6; 1962, c. 194; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 87; 1972, c. 745; 1975, c. 434; 1976, c. 491; 1980, c. 559; 1989, c. 456.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-167.2. Security for payment; appropriations

A. The Authority is authorized to issue bonds to finance and refinance acquisition of bonds, notes and other obligations of counties, cities and towns (local school bonds) issued for the purpose of financing and refinancing capital projects for school purposes and to pledge to the bonds all or any combination of the following sources: (i) payments of principal and interest on the local school bonds purchased by the Authority; (ii) payments to the localities by the Commonwealth as contemplated under the provisions of § 15.2-2659 (state aid intercept) of the Code of Virginia; (iii) funds in the Literary Fund available and appropriated for such purpose; and (iv) any funds in the general fund of the Commonwealth appropriated for such purpose.
B. The Governor's Budget Bill presented each year to the General Assembly shall include an appropriation to the Authority of a sum sufficient first, from funds in the Literary Fund available for such purpose, and second, from the general fund of the Commonwealth, to cure any shortfall in pledged primary revenues on any debt service payment date on the bonds of the Authority described by this section. A shortfall in pledged primary revenues shall exist when the sum of the payments made on local school bonds due on or before such date and any proceeds derived from the implementation of § 15.2-2659 (state aid intercept) of the Code of Virginia as of such date is less than required to pay the debt service due on the Authority's bonds on such date.
C. The Literary Fund and the general fund of the Commonwealth shall be subrogated to the rights of the Authority to the extent of any such funds paid to the Authority and shall be entitled to enforce the Authority's remedies with respect to the local school bonds and to full recovery of the amount of such shortfall.
D. On or before September 30 of each year, the Authority shall submit to the Governor and the chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations a report as of the end of the prior fiscal year detailing the total amount of the Authority's outstanding bonds secured by appropriations as described in subsection B. The report shall also describe any instances where any such appropriation has been used.
1998, cc. 4, 900.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-167.3. Bonds or notes issued for the purpose of making grants; security for payment; appropriations

A. The Authority is authorized to pledge to the bonds or notes of the Authority (i) authorized under the provisions of a resolution adopted subsequent to June 30, 2000, for the purpose described in § 22.1-166.2, (ii) issued subsequent to June 30, 2000, and (iii) not benefiting from the provisions of either clause (iii) or (iv) of § 22.1-168, or § 22.1-168.1, in addition to other sources available for such purpose, any funds in the general fund of the Commonwealth appropriated for such purpose.
B. The Governor's budget bill presented each year to the General Assembly pursuant to § 2.2-1509 shall include an appropriation to the Authority of a sum sufficient from the general fund of the Commonwealth to cure any shortfall in pledged primary revenues on any debt service payment date on the bonds or notes of the Authority described by this section. A shortfall in pledged primary revenues shall exist when the available moneys in the Literary Fund as of such date are less than the amount required to pay the debt service due on such bonds or notes on such date. For purposes of this subsection "available moneys in the Literary Fund" means moneys remaining after the payment, or provision for payment, of debt service on bonds or notes like those described in this section and payable from the Literary Fund, but issued prior to July 1, 2000.
C. On or before September 30 of each year, the Authority shall submit to the Governor and the chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Finance, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations a report as of the end of the prior fiscal year detailing the total amount of the Authority's outstanding bonds and notes secured by an appropriation of a sum sufficient from the general fund of the Commonwealth as described in subsection B. The report shall also describe any instances where any such appropriation has been used.
2001, cc. 431, 456.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-168.1. Reserve fund; limitations

A. If the Board of Commissioners deems it proper to create a reserve fund or funds from bond proceeds to support an issuance of bonds in accordance with the provisions of this section, all moneys held in such reserve fund, except as hereinafter provided, shall be pledged solely for the payment of the principal and interest on the bonds secured in whole or in part by such a fund. Any income or interest earned on, or increment to, any reserve fund may be transferred by the Board of Commissioners to other funds or accounts of the Authority to the extent it does not reduce the amount of the reserve fund below its minimum requirement.
B. The Board of Commissioners shall not at any time issue bonds secured in whole or in part by any reserve fund referred to in subsection C, if upon the issuance of the bonds, the amount in the reserve fund will be less than its minimum requirement unless the Board of Commissioners, at the time of issuance of the bonds, deposits in the fund an amount which, together with the amount then in the fund, will not be less than the fund's minimum reserve requirement.
C. In order to ensure further the maintenance of reserve funds established in accordance with the provisions of this section, the chairman of the Board of Commissioners shall annually, on or before December 1, make and deliver to the Governor and the Secretary of Administration a certificate stating the sum, if any, required to restore each reserve fund to its minimum requirement. Within five days after the beginning of each session of the General Assembly, the Governor shall submit to the presiding officer of each house of the General Assembly printed copies of a budget including the sum, if any, required to restore each reserve fund to its minimum requirement. All sums, if any, which may be appropriated by the General Assembly for any restoration and paid to the Authority shall be deposited by the Authority in the applicable reserve fund. All amounts paid to the Board of Commissioners by the Commonwealth pursuant to the provisions of this section shall constitute and be accounted for as advances by the Commonwealth to the Authority and, subject to the rights of the holders of any bonds of the Authority, shall be repaid to the Commonwealth without interest from available revenues of the Authority in excess of the amounts required for the payment of bonds or other obligations of the Authority, the maintenance of reserve funds, and operating expenses.
D. Excluding bonds issued prior to July 1, 1991, the total principal amount of bonds outstanding at any one time, issued by the Board of Commissioners in accordance with the provisions of this section, shall not exceed the sum of $800 million without the prior approval of the General Assembly.
E. Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting the power of the Board of Commissioners to issue bonds (i) not secured by a reserve fund or (ii) secured by a reserve fund not described in this section.
1991, c. 543; 1995, cc. 188, 233.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-169. Investment of funds

Any funds held by the Authority or by the trustee under any trust indenture under the provisions of this chapter may be invested and reinvested in securities that are legal investments under the laws of the Commonwealth for funds held by fiduciaries.
Code 1950, § 22-29.9; 1962, c. 194; 1980, c. 559.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-170. Repayments to Literary Fund

All assets heretofore or hereafter transferred to the Authority from the Literary Fund pursuant to § 22.1-175 shall remain assets of the Literary Fund and shall be repaid to the Literary Fund pursuant to this section but, until so repaid, may be used for all purposes by the Authority to the same extent as if such assets were the sole property of the Authority.
On or before January 10 in each year the Authority shall set aside and repay to the Literary Fund an amount equal to the excess of the principal and interest collected by the Authority in the preceding year on account of obligations transferred to the Authority from the Literary Fund over such portion of such principal and interest as shall have been pledged by any trust indenture or resolution authorizing bonds of the Authority.
The principal collected by the Authority on account of obligations transferred to the Authority from the Literary Fund shall remain part of the principal of the Literary Fund subject to the provisions of Article VIII, Section 8 of the Constitution of Virginia and of this chapter, and the interest collected by the Authority on account of such obligations shall be deemed to be interest on the Literary Fund subject to the provisions of Article VIII, Section 8 of the Constitution of Virginia and of this chapter; provided, however, that any such collected principal and interest pledged by any trust indenture or resolution authorizing bonds of the Authority shall continue to be held by the Authority until no longer so required by the terms of such trust indenture or resolution; and further provided that, on the next succeeding tenth day of January, any amount of such collected principal and interest no longer required to be held by the Authority shall be set aside and repaid to the Literary Fund as if it had been collected at the time it became no longer required to be held.
Code 1950, § 22-29.10; 1962, c. 194; 1964, c. 146; 1971, Ex. Sess., cc. 1, 241; 1980, c. 559.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-171. Powers of Authority enumerated

A. In order to enable the Authority to carry out the purposes for which it is established, the Authority is vested with the powers of a body corporate including the power to sue and be sued, to make contracts, to adopt and use a common seal and to alter the same and is authorized and empowered:
1. To collect, or to authorize the trustee under any trust indenture securing any bonds of the Authority to collect, as the same shall become due, the principal of and the interest on all obligations transferred to the Authority from the Literary Fund;
2. To collect, or to authorize the trustee under any trust indenture securing any bonds of the Authority to collect, as the same shall become due, the principal of and the interest on all local school bonds purchased by the Authority;
3. To pay the compensation of the chief executive officer of the Authority and all such employees, agents, financial advisers and attorneys as may be employed by the Authority either from moneys received by the Authority under the provisions of this chapter or from appropriations made by the General Assembly for such purpose;
4. To issue bonds of the Authority as authorized by this chapter and to refund any of such bonds;
5. To adopt or alter or repeal any bylaws, rules or regulations as the Authority may deem necessary or expedient; and
6. To do any and all other acts and things necessary, appropriate or incidental in carrying out the purposes of this chapter.
B. The Authority is further authorized and empowered to issue notes and other obligations for any of its purposes in such form as may be authorized by resolution of the Authority. The issuance of such notes or other obligations shall be governed by the provisions of this chapter insofar as the same may be applicable.
C. The Board of Commissioners shall submit an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly on or before November 1 of each year. Such report shall contain, at a minimum, the annual financial statements of the Authority for the year ending the preceding June 30.
Code 1950, § 22-29.11; 1962, c. 194; 1972, c. 745; 1980, c. 559; 1984, c. 734; 1985, c. 146; 2004, c. 650.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-172. Bonds exempt from taxation

The bonds issued by the Authority under the provisions of this chapter, their transfer and the income therefrom, including any profit made on the sale thereof, shall at all times be free and exempt from taxation by the Commonwealth and by any municipality, county, or any other political subdivision thereof.
Code 1950, § 22-29.12; 1962, c. 194; 1980, c. 559.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-173. Bonds legal investments

All bonds issued by the Authority under the provisions of this chapter are hereby made securities in which all public officers and bodies of the Commonwealth, counties, cities, towns, municipal subdivisions, insurance companies and associations, savings banks and savings institutions, including savings and loan associations, trust companies, beneficial and benevolent associations, administrators, guardians, executors, trustees and other fiduciaries in the Commonwealth may properly and legally invest funds under their control.
Code 1950, § 22-29.13; 1962, c. 194; 1980, c. 559.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-174. Jurisdiction of suits against Authority; service of process

The Circuit Court of the City of Richmond shall have exclusive jurisdiction of any suit brought in Virginia against the Authority, and process in such suit shall be served either on the State Comptroller or the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners.
Code 1950, § 22-29.14; 1962, c. 194; 1980, c. 559.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11 - Virginia Public School Authority › § 22.1-175. Transfers from Literary Fund to Authority

On January 1 and July 1 of each year or at such other times as requested by the Authority, there shall be set aside and transferred from the Literary Fund to the Virginia Public School Authority for public school purposes all notes bearing fixed maturity dates and representing amounts loaned by the Literary Fund to local school boards pursuant to Chapter 10 (§ 22.1-142 et seq.) of this title, to be held and administered by the Virginia Public School Authority as provided by law. The Board of Education, the State Treasurer and the State Comptroller are hereby authorized and directed to take all necessary steps to accomplish such transfer.
Code 1950, § 22-29.15; 1962, c. 195; 1971, Ex. Sess., cc. 127, 241; 1980, c. 559; 1988, c. 259.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11.1 - Virginia Public School Construction Grants Program and Fund › § 22.1-175.1. Virginia Public School Construction Grants Program established

The Virginia Public School Construction Grants Program is hereby established to provide grants to eligible school divisions for school construction, additions, infrastructure, site acquisition for public school buildings and facilities, and renovations, including the costs of retrofitting or enlarging public school buildings; further, if a school division has completed any such projects during the previous ten years, the grants may be used for debt service payments or a portion thereof. The Program shall be administered by the Board of Education.
Local governing bodies may also establish a separate escrow fund for the deposit of such funds as provided in § 22.1-175.5.
1995, c. 762; 1998, Sp. Sess. I, c. 2; 1999, cc. 354, 391.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11.1 - Virginia Public School Construction Grants Program and Fund › § 22.1-175.2. Virginia Public School Construction Grants Fund created

A. From such funds as may be appropriated for this purpose and from such gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds as may be received on its behalf, there is hereby created in the Department of the Treasury a special nonreverting fund known as the Virginia Public School Construction Grants Fund. The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller, and any moneys remaining in such Fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Interest earned on such funds shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Funds may be disbursed to any school division that is eligible for financial assistance pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
B. The State Treasurer shall manage the Virginia Public School Construction Grants Fund, subject to the authority of the Board of Education to provide for its disbursement. The Fund shall be disbursed to award grants as provided in § 22.1-175.4. The amount of each grant awarded to a qualifying school division in any fiscal year shall not exceed 100 percent of the school division's aggregate annual expenditures for school construction, additions, infrastructure, site acquisition for public school buildings and facilities, renovations, including the costs of retrofitting or enlarging public school buildings, and debt service payments on such school projects which have been completed during the last ten years.
Local governing bodies may establish a separate escrow fund for the deposit of such funds as provided in § 22.1-175.5.
C. The amount of such public school construction grants shall be matched by funds of the qualifying school division based on the locality's composite index of ability to pay. In awarding such grants, the Board shall take into consideration any Literary Fund loan which may have been applied for or awarded for the same projects.
1995, c. 762; 1998, Sp. Sess. I, c. 2; 1999, cc. 354, 391.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11.1 - Virginia Public School Construction Grants Program and Fund › § 22.1-175.3. Board to issue guidelines

The Board shall issue guidelines for the administration of the Program as it may deem necessary and appropriate. The guidelines shall include, but shall not be limited to, (i) provisions which address approval by the local governing body of the construction, addition, or site acquisition for which grant moneys are sought, (ii) the application for a grant from the Fund, (iii) the implementation of the procedure for disbursing grants to school divisions as provided in § 22.1-175.4, and (iv) recognition of the authority of local governing bodies to establish a separate escrow fund for the deposit of such funds as provided in § 22.1-175.5.
1995, c. 762; 1998, Sp. Sess. I, c. 2; 1999, cc. 354, 391.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11.1 - Virginia Public School Construction Grants Program and Fund › § 22.1-175.4. Application for grants

All funds appropriated for financial assistance for the purposes of this chapter shall be apportioned and distributed among the school divisions of the Commonwealth in accordance with eligibility and needs criteria established by the 2000 Session of the General Assembly.
1998, Sp. Sess. I, c. 2; 1999, cc. 354, 391; 2022, c. 355.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11.1 - Virginia Public School Construction Grants Program and Fund › § 22.1-175.5. Capital School Projects Fund

A. The governing body of any locality which is awarded a grant pursuant to this chapter may authorize the local treasurer or fiscal officer, by ordinance or resolution, to create a separate escrow account upon the books of the locality, as described in this section. Upon the adoption of such ordinance or resolution, the treasurer of the locality shall place such grant awards into this account.
B. The escrow account shall be known as the "County/City/Town of _______________ Capital School Projects Fund." All principal deposited to such fund, together with all income from or attributable to the fund, shall be used solely for (i) construction, additions, renovations, including retrofitting and enlarging public school buildings, infrastructure, including technology infrastructure, and site acquisition for public school buildings and facilities or (ii) debt service payments, or a portion thereof, for any such projects completed in the previous ten years if so designated. No disbursement from the fund may be made except upon specific appropriation by the governing body in accordance with applicable law. If a locality establishes such a fund and designates any portion of the funds deposited therein to pay debt service for (i) any general obligation of the locality held by the Virginia Public School Authority or (ii) any Literary Fund loan, the locality shall obtain an opinion of bond counsel that designation of funds to pay debt service on obligations described in clauses (i) and (ii) hereof does not adversely impact the tax-exempt status of such obligations.
C. All grant awards deposited in the fund, including all income from or attributable to such fund, shall be deemed public funds of the locality and shall be subject to all limitations upon deposit and investment provided by general law, including, but not limited to, the Virginia Security for Public Deposits Act (§ 2.2-4400 et seq.). Income, dividends, distributions, and grants accruing to the fund shall be retained in such fund and shall be expended only in accordance with the terms of this section.
D. Nothing in this section shall be deemed or construed to authorize a school board or school division to receive, hold or invest funds in its own name, nor to expend funds in the absence of a specific appropriation by the governing body of the locality in accordance with applicable law.
1999, cc. 354, 391.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11.2 - Virginia Public School Educational Technology Grants Program › § 22.1-175.6. Virginia Public School Educational Technology Grants Program established

With such funds as are appropriated for this purpose, the Virginia Public School Educational Technology Grants Program, hereinafter referred to as "the Program," is hereby established to provide grants to eligible school divisions for educational technology, including infrastructure, software, and hardware acquisitions and replacement, and innovative programs to advance the effectiveness of educational technology. The Program shall be administered by the Board of Education.
1999, c. 870.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11.2 - Virginia Public School Educational Technology Grants Program › § 22.1-175.7. Virginia Public School Educational Technology Trust Fund created

A. From such funds as may be appropriated for this purpose and from such gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds as may be received on its behalf, there is hereby created in the Department of the Treasury a special nonreverting fund known as the Virginia Public School Educational Technology Trust Fund, hereinafter referred to as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller, and any moneys remaining in such Fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Interest earned on such funds shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Funds may be disbursed to any school division that is eligible for financial assistance pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
B. The State Treasurer shall manage the Virginia Public School Educational Technology Trust Fund, subject to the authority of the Board of Education to provide for its disbursement. The Fund shall be disbursed to award grants as provided in § 22.1-175.6.
C. The amount of such educational technology grants shall be matched by funds of the qualifying school division based on the locality's composite index of ability to pay. In awarding such grants, the Board shall take into consideration any other state or federal grants which may have been applied for or awarded for the same projects. In addition, the Board shall assist local school divisions in applying for such grants and shall seek to ensure that all divisions have equitable access, based on superintendent's regions, to such funds as may be available.
1999, c. 870.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11.2 - Virginia Public School Educational Technology Grants Program › § 22.1-175.8. Board to issue guidelines

The Board shall issue guidelines for the administration of the Program as it may deem necessary and appropriate. The guidelines shall include, but shall not be limited to, provisions which address compliance with other law or Board requirements for educational technology, the application for a grant from the Fund, the innovations included in the proposal, and other criteria as established by the Board.
1999, c. 870.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 11.2 - Virginia Public School Educational Technology Grants Program › § 22.1-175.9. Funding

Grants pursuant to this chapter shall be awarded upon a determination of the Governor of the appropriate funding source and amounts for the Fund established in § 22.1-175.7.
Funds appropriated for financial assistance for the purposes of this chapter shall be apportioned and distributed among the school divisions of the Commonwealth in accordance with eligibility and needs criteria to be established by the Board.
1999, c. 870.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 12 - Pupil Transportation › § 22.1-176. Transportation of pupils authorized; when fee may be charged; contributions; regulations of Board of Education

A. School boards may provide for the transportation of pupils, but nothing herein contained shall be construed as requiring such transportation except as provided in § 22.1-221.
B. When a school board provides transportation to pupils for extracurricular activities, other than those covered by an activity fund, which are sponsored by the pupils' school apart from the regular instructional program and which the pupils are not required to attend or participate in, the school board may accept contributions for such transportation or charge each pupil utilizing such transportation a reasonable fee not to exceed his pro rata share of the cost of providing such transportation. A school board may waive such fees for any pupil whose parent or guardian is financially unable to pay them.
C. When a school board provides transportation to pupils for field trips which are a part of the program of the pupils' school or are sponsored by such school, the school board may accept contributions for such transportation.
D. The Board of Education shall promulgate such regulations as shall be in the public interest to effect the intent of this section.
Code 1950, §§ 22-72.1, 22-97.1; 1954, c. 291; 1956, Ex. Sess., c. 60; 1959, Ex. Sess., c. 79, § 1; 1968, c. 501; 1970, c. 156; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 161; 1972, c. 86; 1975, cc. 308, 328; 1976, c. 99; 1978, cc. 430, 527; 1980, c. 559.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 12 - Pupil Transportation › § 22.1-176.1. Agreements to provide transportation for nonpublic school pupils

Local school boards may enter into agreements with nonpublic schools within the school division to provide student transportation to and from such schools and school field trips under such terms and conditions as the local school boards deem appropriate and responsible. Such terms may include arrangements relating to cost-sharing, fees, insurance, and liability.
2007, c. 476; 2016, cc. 57, 145.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 12 - Pupil Transportation › § 22.1-176.2. Certain students; waiver to access student transportation in certain cases

Each school board that provides for the transportation of students pursuant to § 22.1-176 and that has established a rule, regulation, or policy to exclude certain students who reside within a certain distance from the school at which they are enrolled from accessing such transportation shall establish a process for waiving, on a case-by-case and space-available basis, such exclusion and providing transportation to any such student whose parent is unable to provide adequate transportation for his child to attend school because the parent is providing necessary medical care to another family member who resides in the same household, as evidenced by a written explanation submitted by a licensed health care provider who provides care to such family member.
2020, c. 576.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 12 - Pupil Transportation › § 22.1-177. Regulations

A. The Board may make regulations relating to the construction, design, operation, equipment, and color of public school buses and shall have the authority to issue an order prohibiting the operation on public streets and highways of any public school bus that does not comply with such regulations. Any such order shall be enforced by the Department of State Police.
B. Local school boards may, notwithstanding any regulation to the contrary, display decals depicting the flag of the United States on the sides and rear of school buses as long as any such decal does not obstruct the name of the school division or the number of the school bus and is no larger than 100 square inches. In addition, local school boards may, notwithstanding any regulation to the contrary, display decals relating to school bus safety. Local school divisions shall be responsible for the cost of the decals. Such decal shall not obstruct the name of the school division or the number of the school bus.
C. No regulation of the Board shall unreasonably limit the authority of any local school division to purchase and use school buses using compressed natural gas or other alternative fuels or convert its school buses to use compressed natural gas or other alternative fuels.
D. Any local school board may, notwithstanding any regulation to the contrary, sell or transfer any of its school buses to another school division or purchase a used school bus from another school division or a school bus dealer as long as the school bus (i) conforms to the specifications relating to construction and design effective in the Commonwealth on the date of manufacture; (ii) has a valid Virginia State Police inspection; and (iii) has not reached the end of its useful life according to the school bus replacement schedule utilized by the Department of Education as required by the general appropriation act.
Code 1950, § 22-276; 1958, c. 274; 1980, c. 559; 1991, c. 191; 2003, c. 162; 2007, c. 104; 2013, c. 778; 2015, c. 559.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 12 - Pupil Transportation › § 22.1-180. Requirements for persons employed to transport pupils attending religious or private schools

No person, partnership, association or corporation operating any religious or private school shall hire, employ or enter into any agreement with any person for the purpose of transporting pupils by motor vehicle unless such person shall present the documents and meet the qualifications required of operators of public school buses by subsection A of § 22.1-178. The State Department of Education shall furnish the forms prescribed for the purposes of § 22.1-178 to any person, partnership, association or corporation who shall request such forms for the purpose of compliance with this section.
Code 1950, § 22-276.2; 1968, c. 432; 1980, c. 559; 2005, c. 928.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 12 - Pupil Transportation › § 22.1-181. Training program for school bus operators

A. The Board shall promulgate regulations requiring persons applying for employment, and employed, to operate school buses to complete a training program developed by the Board.
B. For applicants not currently possessing a commercial driver's license, such regulations shall require (i) a minimum of 24 hours of classroom training administered pursuant to this section and (ii) six hours of behind-the-wheel training on a school bus that contains no pupil passengers. For applicants currently possessing a commercial driver's license, such regulations shall require (a) a minimum of four hours of classroom training administered pursuant to this section and (b) three hours of behind-the-wheel training on a school bus that contains no pupil passengers. Behind-the-wheel training shall be administered under the direct on-board supervision of a designated school bus driver trainer.
C. The training program developed by the Board:
1. Shall include in-person instruction on safety protocols for responding to adverse weather conditions, unsafe conditions during loading and unloading of students, students on the wrong bus, and other circumstances, as determined by the Board, where student safety is at risk;
2. May offer the option for an applicant for employment to complete all or any portion of the required hours of classroom training in a remote online format, as determined by the local school division, except as otherwise provided in subdivision 1; and
3. May offer the option for an applicant for employment to receive instruction in the Spanish language for all or any portion of the required hours of classroom training, as determined by the local school division.
Code 1950, § 22-276.3; 1977, c. 393; 1980, c. 559; 2018, cc. 203, 389; 2019, c. 769; 2023, c. 156.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 12 - Pupil Transportation › § 22.1-182. Use of school buses for public and commercial purposes

The school board of any school division may enter into agreements with any third-party logistics company, the governing body of any county, city, or town in the school division, any state agency, or any agency established or identified pursuant to P.L. 89-73 or any law amendatory or supplemental thereto providing for the use of the school buses of such school division by such third-party logistics company or agency or by departments, boards, commissions, or officers of such county, city, or town for public purposes, including transportation for the elderly, or private purposes, except that such third-party logistics company shall not use the school buses to provide transportation of passengers for compensation or for residential delivery of products for compensation. Each such agreement shall provide for reimbursing the school board in full for the proportionate share of any and all costs, both fixed and variable, of such buses incurred by such school board attributable to the use of such buses pursuant to such agreement. Each such agreement shall also require the third-party logistics company, governing body, state agency, or agency established or identified pursuant to P.L. 89-73 or any law amendatory or supplemental thereto to supply insurance on the school bus that meets the minimum coverage requirements in § 22.1-190. The third-party logistics company, governing body, state agency, or agency established or identified pursuant to P.L. 89-73 or any law amendatory or supplemental thereto shall indemnify and hold harmless the school board from any and all liability of the school board by virtue of use of such buses pursuant to an agreement authorized herein.
Code 1950, § 22-151.2; 1973, c. 368; 1975, c. 633; 1980, c. 559; 2022, c. 241.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 22.1 - Education › Chapter 12 - Pupil Transportation › § 22.1-183. When warning lights and identification to be covered

It is unlawful for a school bus licensed in the Commonwealth to be operated on the public highways of the Commonwealth for the purpose of transporting persons or commodities other than school personnel, school children, elderly individuals, or individuals with mental or physical disabilities unless the lettered identification and school bus traffic warning lights on the front and rear of such bus are covered with some opaque detachable material. This section shall not apply to any such bus when operated by a salesman or demonstrator in connection with a prospective sale or delivery of a bus.
Code 1950, §§ 22-151.2, 22-280.1; 1973, c. 368; 1975, c. 633; 1980, c. 559; 2023, cc. 148, 149.