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Governor's Aerospace Advisory Council

The Governor's Aerospace Advisory Council is a group of industry leaders representing all regions of the Commonwealth, who collectively focus on collaborating to drive economic development efforts.

Council members serve as advisors to the Governor regarding policy and funding priorities to promote aerospace and space exploration industry in the Commonwealth. The Council also act as subject matter experts and advise the Joint Commission on Technology and Science, and the Secretaries of Commerce and Trade and Education on policy and funding priorities with respect to aerospace economic development, workforce training, educational programs, and educational curriculum.

The Council suggests strategies to attract and promote the development of existing aerospace companies, new aerospace companies, federal aerospace agencies, aerospace research, venture, and human capital, and applied research and technology. Council members contribute to the growth and development of the aerospace sector in the Commonwealth. (Code Reference: § 2.2-2698)

The Council is composed of a total membership of 19 members consisting of four legislative members and 15 non-legislative citizen members. Members are appointed as follows: three members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; one member of the Senate, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and15 non-legislative citizen members, of whom one shall represent the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, one shall represent Old Dominion University, one shall represent the University of Virginia, one shall represent Virginia Tech, and five shall represent aerospace companies or suppliers within the Commonwealth, to be appointed by the Governor, and serve with voting privileges. The Directors of the Virginia Department of Aviation, the National Institute of Aerospace, the Virginia Tourism Authority and the Virginia Space Grant Consortium shall serve as members with voting privileges. A representative of NASA Wallops Flight Facility and a representative of NASA's Langley Research Center, each to be appointed by the Governor, shall serve as ex officio members with nonvoting privileges.

Legislative members serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Other members are appointed for terms of two years. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies are filled in the same manner as the original appointments. All members may be reappointed.