Va. Code Ann. tit. 32.1, ch. 14

in effect

Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-354 Definitions

As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Agreement" means the agreement or agreements between the Commonwealth, as seller of the Tobacco Assets, and the Corporation, as purchaser of the Tobacco Assets. The sale by the Commonwealth of the Tobacco Assets pursuant to any such agreement shall be a true sale and not a borrowing. "Board" means the Board of Trustees of the Foundation appointed pursuant to § 32.1-357 . "Corporation" means the Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation as created under state law. "Director" means the director of the Foundation appointed pursuant to § 32.1-358 . "Endowment" means the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation Endowment established pursuant to § 32.1-361.1 . "Foundation" means the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, created pursuant to § 32.1-355 . "Foundation Allocation" means 10 percent of the annual amount received under the Master Settlement Agreement by the Commonwealth, or that would have been received but for the sale of such allocation pursuant to an agreement, between the starting and ending dates specified in the agreement. "Fund" means the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Fund established pursuant to § 32.1-360 . "Period of sale" means the time during which a purchase under an agreement is entitled to receive the Foundation Allocation. "Tobacco Assets" means all right, title, and interest in and to the portion of the Foundation Allocation that may be sold to the Corporation from time to time. 1999, cc. 880 , 962 ; 2007, c. 345 ; 2009, cc. 424 , 554 .

Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-355 Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth created; purposes

A. The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth (VFHY) is hereby created as a body corporate and a political subdivision of the Commonwealth and as such shall have, and is hereby vested with, all of the politic and corporate powers as are set forth in this chapter. The Foundation is established for the purposes of determining the appropriate recipients of moneys in the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Fund and causing distribution of such moneys for the purposes provided in this chapter. B. The Foundation shall include the following divisions: 1. The Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation (VTSF) division, to assist in financing efforts to restrict the use of tobacco products by minors through such means as educational and awareness programs on the health effects of tobacco use on minors and enforcement of laws restricting the distribution of tobacco products to minors; 2. The Virginia Youth Obesity Prevention (VYOP) division, which may use moneys from the Fund to assist in financing efforts to reduce childhood obesity through such means as educational and awareness programs, implementing evidence-based practices, and assisting schools and communities with policies and programs; and 3. The Virginia Youth Substance Use Prevention (VYSUP) division, which may use moneys from the Fund to assist in financing efforts to prevent and reduce substance use by youth in the Commonwealth through such means as educational and awareness programs, implementing evidence-based practices, and assisting schools and communities with policies and programs. C. The Foundation shall have only those powers enumerated in § 32.1-356 . 1999, cc. 880 , 962 ; 2009, cc. 424 , 554 ; 2017, cc. 60 , 109 .

Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-356 Powers of the Foundation

The Foundation is hereby granted all powers necessary or appropriate to carry out and effectuate its corporate purposes, including, without limitation, the following: 1. To have official seals and to alter the same at pleasure; 2. To maintain an office at such place or places within this Commonwealth as it may designate; 3. To accept, hold, and administer moneys, grants, securities, or other property transferred, given, or bequeathed to the Foundation, absolutely or in trust, for the purposes for which the Foundation is created; 4. To determine how moneys in the Fund are to be distributed and to authorize distribution of moneys in the Fund to entities whose goal is to discourage, eliminate or prevent the use of tobacco products by minors, reduce childhood obesity in the Commonwealth, or prevent and reduce substance use by youth in the Commonwealth, on such terms and in such amounts as determined by the Board; 5. To deposit moneys from the Fund to the Endowment as determined by the Board; 6. To make and execute contracts and all other instruments and agreements necessary or convenient for the exercise of its powers and functions; 7. To appoint and prescribe the duties of such officers, agents, employees, advisors, and consultants as may be necessary to carry out its functions, and to fix and pay such compensation to them for their services as the Foundation may determine; 8. To adopt and from time to time amend and repeal bylaws, not inconsistent with this chapter, to carry into effect the powers and purposes of the Foundation; 9. To receive and accept aid, grants, contributions and cooperation of any kind from any source for the purposes of this chapter subject to such conditions, acceptable to the Foundation, upon which such aid, grants, contributions and cooperation may be made; 10. To do any lawful act necessary or appropriate to carry out the powers herein granted or reasonably implied, including use of whatever lawful means may be necessary and appropriate to recover any payments wrongfully made from the Fund. 1999, cc. 880 , 962 ; 2007, c. 345 ; 2009, cc. 424 , 554 ; 2017, cc. 60 , 109 .

Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-357 Board of Trustees; appointment; officers; quorum; executive committee; compensation and expenses

A. The Foundation shall be governed and administered by a Board of Trustees consisting of 23 members. Two members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates from among the membership of the House of Delegates, one representing rural interests and one representing urban interests; two members shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one representing rural interests and one representing urban interests, from among the membership of the Senate; two members shall be the Commissioner of the Department of Health or his designee and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority or his designee; and 17 nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, as follows: (i) five designated representatives of public health organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Virginia Pediatric Society, Virginia Academy of Family Physicians, Virginia Dental Association, American Lung Association of Virginia, Medical Society of Virginia, Virginia Association of School Nurses, Virginia Nurses Association, and the Virginia Thoracic Society; (ii) four health professionals in the fields of oncology, cardiology, pulmonary medicine, and pediatrics; and (iii) eight citizens at large, including two youths. Of the eight citizen at large members, three adults shall be appointed by the Governor from a list of six provided by members of the General Assembly appointed to the Foundation and one member who is under the age of 18 years shall be appointed by the Governor from a list of three provided by the members of the General Assembly appointed to the Foundation. Legislative members and the Commissioner of the Department of Health and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Following the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall serve four-year terms. Vacancies in the membership of the Board shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired portion of the term. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. Legislative members may be reappointed for successive terms. No nonlegislative citizen member shall be eligible to serve for more than two successive four-year terms; however, after the expiration of a term of three years or less, or after the expiration of the remainder of a term to which he was appointed to fill a vacancy, two additional terms may be served by such member if appointed thereto. Immediately after such appointment, the members shall enter upon the performance of their duties. B. The Foundation shall appoint from the membership of the Board a chairman and vice-chairman, both of whom shall serve in such capacities at the pleasure of the Foundation. The chairman, or in his absence, the vice-chairman, shall preside at all meetings of the Board. A majority of the members of the Board serving at any one time shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The Board shall meet annually or more frequently at the call of the chairman. The Board may establish an executive committee composed of the chairman, vice-chairman, and three additional members elected by the Board from its membership. The chairman of the Board shall serve as the chairman of the executive committee and shall preside over its meetings. In the absence of the chairman, the vice-chairman shall preside. The executive committee may exercise the powers and transact the business of the Board in the absence of the Board or when otherwise directed or authorized by the Board. A majority of the members of the executive committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Any actions or business conducted by the executive committee shall be acted upon by the full board as soon as practicable. C. Legislative members shall receive such compensation as provided in § 30-19.12 and nonlegislative citizen members shall receive compensation as provided in § 2.2-2813 for their services. All members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided by §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825 . Such compensation and expenses shall be paid from the Fund. D. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, no officer or employee of the Commonwealth shall be deemed to have forfeited or shall forfeit his office or employment by reason of his acceptance of membership on the Board or his service to the Foundation. E. Members of the Board and employees of the Foundation shall be subject to the standards of conduct set forth in the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act (§ 2.2-3100 et seq.) and may be removed from office for misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance, neglect of duty, or misconduct in the manner set forth therein. 1999, cc. 880 , 962 ; 2000, c. 1067 ; 2004, c. 1000 ; 2005, c. 19 ; 2015, cc. 38 , 730 .

Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-358 Appointment of director; counsel to the Board and Foundation

A. Subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, the Governor shall appoint a director, whose compensation shall be determined by the Board, subject to approval by the Governor, and who shall also be the secretary of the Board. The director shall administer, manage and direct the affairs and business of the Foundation in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, subject to the policies, control and direction of the Board. The Board may employ technical experts and such other officers, agents and employees, permanent and temporary, as it may require, and shall determine their qualifications, duties and compensation. The Board may delegate to one or more of its agents or employees such administrative duties as it may deem proper. The actual expenses incurred in the performance of such duties shall be paid from the Fund. B. The Office of the Attorney General shall provide counsel to the Board and the Foundation. 1999, cc. 880 , 962 ; 2000, c. 1067 .

Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-359 Duties of the Board

The Board shall perform the following duties: 1. Establish specific criteria and procedures governing decisions by the Foundation to cause the moneys obtained from the Master Settlement Agreement in the Fund to be primarily distributed to entities for use in the discouragement, elimination or prevention of the use of tobacco products by minors. Additionally, the Foundation may distribute moneys in the Fund obtained primarily from public grants and private funding sources to reduce childhood obesity and to prevent and reduce substance use by youth in the Commonwealth; 2. Establish requirements that every recipient of money distributed from the Fund establish and maintain policies that restrict the use of tobacco products by minors, as provided in § 32.1-361 ; 3. Evaluate the proposals for the use of the assets of the Fund in accordance with the criteria established by the Board and the provisions of this chapter; 4. Evaluate the implementation and results of all efforts receiving support from the Foundation; and 5. Determine amounts to be deposited from time to time from the Fund to the Endowment. 1999, cc. 880 , 962 ; 2007, c. 345 ; 2009, cc. 424 , 554 ; 2017, cc. 60 , 109 .

Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-360 Virginia Tobacco Settlement Fund

There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Fund. The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. Subject to the sale of all or any portion of the Foundation Allocation, 10 percent of the annual amount received by the Commonwealth from the Master Settlement Agreement shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. In the event of such sale (i) the Foundation Allocation shall be paid in accordance with the agreement for the period of sale and (ii) the fund shall receive amounts withdrawn from the Endowment in accordance with § 32.1-361.1 . Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the purposes described in this chapter. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written authorization signed by the chairman of the Board or his designee. Moneys in the Fund shall be used for the purposes of (a) discouraging, eliminating or preventing the use of tobacco products by minors, including but not limited to, educational and awareness programs on the health effects of tobacco use on minors and laws restricting the distribution of tobacco products to minors; (b) reducing childhood obesity, including but not limited to educational and awareness programs, implementing evidence-based practices, and assisting schools and communities with related policies and programs; and (c) preventing and reducing substance use by youth in the Commonwealth, including but not limited to educational and awareness programs, implementing evidence-based practices, and assisting schools and communities with related policies and programs. 1999, cc. 880 , 962 ; 2007, c. 345 ; 2009, cc. 424 , 554 ; 2017, cc. 60 , 109 .

Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-361 Use of moneys distributed

Any recipient of any moneys distributed from the Fund pursuant to this chapter shall be required, as a condition precedent to the release of such moneys to such entity, to establish and maintain policies restricting or preventing tobacco use by minors. The Foundation shall (i) establish criteria for determining whether an entity's policies support the restriction of tobacco use by minors and (ii) monitor the distribution of such moneys to ensure that the recipients of such funds are in compliance with the provisions of this section. 1999, cc. 880 , 962 ; 2009, cc. 424 , 554 .

Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-361.1 Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth Endowment

A. There is hereby established in the state treasury a special fund to be designated the "Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth Endowment" (the Endowment). The Endowment shall receive any proceeds from any sale of all or any portion of the Foundation Allocation, deposits from the Fund as determined by the Board pursuant to subdivision 5 of § 32.1-356 , and any gifts, grants, and contributions that are specifically designated for inclusion in such Endowment. No part of the Endowment, neither corpus nor income, or interest thereon, shall revert to the general fund of the state treasury. The Endowment shall be under the management and control of the Treasury Board and the Treasury Board shall have such powers and authority as may be necessary to exercise such management and control consistent with the provisions of this section. The income of the Endowment shall be paid out, not less than annually, to the Fund. In addition, up to 10 percent of the corpus of the Endowment shall be paid to the Fund annually upon request of the Board to the Treasury Board; provided, however, that upon two-thirds vote of the Board, up to 15 percent of the corpus of the Endowment shall be so paid. No use of proceeds shall be made that would cause bonds issued on a tax-exempt basis to be considered taxable. For purposes of this section, "income" of the Endowment means at the time of determination the lesser of the available cash in, or the realized investment income for the applicable period of the Endowment, and "corpus" of the endowment means at the time of determination the sum of the proceeds from the sale of all or any portion of the Foundation Allocation, deposits from the Fund as determined by the Board pursuant to subdivision 5 of § 32.1-356 , any gifts, grants, and contributions that have been credited to such Endowment, and any income not appropriated and withdrawn from the Endowment before June 30 of each year, less withdrawals from the corpus. Determinations by the Treasury Board, or the State Treasurer on behalf of the Treasury Board, as to the amount of income or the amount of the corpus shall be conclusive. B. The Treasury Board shall serve as trustee of the Endowment and the corpus and income of the Endowment shall be withdrawn and credited to the Fund by order of the Treasury Board as provided in subsection A. The State Treasurer shall be custodian of the funds credited to the Endowment. The Treasury Board shall have full power to invest and reinvest funds credited to the Endowment in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (§ 64.2-1100 et seq.) and, in addition, as otherwise provided by law. The Treasury Board may borrow money in such amounts as may be necessary whenever in its judgment it would be more advantageous to borrow money than to sell securities held for the Fund. Any debt so incurred may be evidenced by notes duly authorized by resolution of the Treasury Board, such notes to be retired no later than the end of the biennium in which such debt is incurred. The Treasury Board may commingle, for purposes of investment, the corpus of the Endowment provided that it shall appropriately account for the investments credited to the Endowment. The Treasury Board may hire independent investment advisors and managers as it deems appropriate to assist with investing the Endowment. The expenses of making and disposing of investments, such as brokerage commissions, legal expenses related to a particular transaction, investment advisory and management fees and expenses, transfer taxes and other customary transactional expenses shall be payable out of the income of the Endowment. C. Not less than annually and more frequently if desired by the Board or requested by the Treasury Board, the Board shall provide to the Treasury Board schedules of anticipated disbursements from the Fund for the current and succeeding fiscal year, and the Treasury Board shall, to the extent practicable, take into account such schedules and changes thereto in scheduling maturities and redemptions of its investments of the Endowment. 2007, c. 345 ; 2008, c. 184 ; 2009, cc. 424 , 554 .

Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-362 Audit

The accounts of the Foundation shall be audited by the Auditor of Public Accounts, or his legally authorized representatives, as determined necessary by the Auditor of Public Accounts. Copies of the audit shall be distributed to the Governor and to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations. 1999, cc. 880 , 962 ; 2018, cc. 57 , 307 .

Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-363 Forms of accounts and records

The accounts and records of the Foundation showing the receipt and disbursement of funds from whatever source derived shall be in such form as the Auditor of Public Accounts prescribes. 1999, cc. 880 , 962 .

Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-364 Reports to the Governor and General Assembly

The Foundation shall submit a report no later than March 31 of each year to the Governor and the General Assembly. The report shall include information regarding programs supported by the Foundation and expenditures from the Fund. 1999, cc. 880 , 962 ; 2005, c. 19 .

Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-365 Public purpose; exemption from taxation

A. The exercise of the powers granted by this chapter shall be in all respects for the benefit of the citizens of the Commonwealth and for the promotion of their safety, health, welfare, knowledge, convenience and prosperity. B. The Foundation will be performing an essential governmental function in the exercise of the powers conferred upon it by this chapter, and the property of the Foundation and its income and operations shall be exempt from taxation or assessments upon any property acquired or used by the Foundation under the provisions of this chapter. 1999, cc. 880 , 962 .

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title32.1/chapter14/Fetched: 10/16/2026