Bill > SJR23

This resolution directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), a legislative oversight body, to study the necessity and practicality of establishing a new state government entity called the Secretariat of Rural Affairs. The resolution highlights significant disparities faced by rural Virginians in areas like education, economic opportunity, and healthcare, noting that existing government services are fragmented and lack centralized coordination for rural communities. JLARC's study will involve defining "rural," assessing how current agencies serve or fail rural areas, exploring how a new Secretariat could improve access to essential services, and examining which existing agency divisions or programs could be integrated into such a Secretariat. It will also consider funding, staffing, potential partnerships, and alternative structural reforms to address the unique challenges of rural Virginia, with a report due by December 1, 2027.

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SJ23