SJ 21 — Secretariat of Rural Affairs; JLARC to study need for and feasibility of creating position.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENGROSSED 24101487D I SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO.

21 OfferedSenate JanuaryAmendments 10,in 2024[ N] Prefiled- January 9,30, 2024 TDirecting Dircreatingthe Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the need for and feasibility of creating a Secretariat of Rural Affairs in the Commonwealth.

Report.eReport. need for and feasibiliRy of –––––––––– Patrons––Aird and Perry O –––––––––– D Referred to Committee on Rules –––––––––– U WHEREAS, rural Virginians, on average, experience lower quality of life as measured in C educational, economic, and health outcomes and lower life expectancy in comparison to other these disparities;

andmonwealth,–––––––––– withPatrons BlackPrior Virginiansto inE––––––––––––Senators ruralAird areasand experiencingPerry theReferred greatestEofto WHEREAS,Committee inon Rules –––––––––– E WHEREAS, rural areasVirginians, ofon Virginia,average, largerexperience percentageslower quality of individualslife faceas measured in N educational, economic, and health outcomes and lower levelslife ofexpectancy Din educationalcomparison attainmentto thanother populations in urbanthe areas,Commonwealth, with fewerBlack individualsVirginians attainingin arural highareas schoolexperiencing diplomathe orgreatest bachelor'sof degree;these disparities;

and R WHEREAS, in addition,rural suchareas areas,of havingVirginia, larger percentages of individuals face lower taxlevels basesof educational attainment than wealthierin urban areas, lackwith thefewer financialindividuals attaining a high school diploma or means to attract and retain quality educators;

and lower tax bases than wealthier areas, lack tSe financial WHEREAS, the rate of deaths outpaces the rate of births in rural Virginia, resulting in declinesdeclSnes in rural population sizes;

rural Virginians demonstrate comparatively worse health outcomes than individuals in urban areas, as larger percentages of rural residents lack health insurance and experience hosWHEREAS,hospitalizations healththat infrastructuremight isbe inadequateavoided inwith ruralimproved Virginia, due in large part to chronic health carecare; worker shortages and the fact that approximately 33 percent of rural hospitals are at risk2of closing;

and 1D WHEREAS, metropolitanhealth areasinfrastructure aloneis accountinadequate forin Virginia'srural jobVirginia, growthdue overin large part to chronic health care worker shortages and the lastfact twothat decades;approximately 33 percent of rural hospitals are at risk of closing;

ruraland economiesWHEREAS, experiencemetropolitan weakerareas economicalone growthaccount thanfor theirVirginia's urbanjob counterpartsgrowth asover they suffer from climbing unemployment, declining wages, and the losslast oftwo industriesdecades; such as coal mining, tobacco, and textiles;

and WHEREAS, rural regionseconomies ofexperience Virginiaweaker encountereconomic highergrowth rates of poverty than their urban areas,counterparts withas athey ruralsuffer povWHEREAS,from intextiles; some rural areas of Virginia, the majority of residents lack broadband access, which is critical to economic growth;

andployment, declining wages, and the loss of industries such as coal mining, tobacco, and WHEREAS, rural regions of Virginia encounter higher rates of poverty than urban areas, with S rural poverty rate of 14.9 percent compared to 8.5 percent in metropolitan areas;

and 2 WHEREAS, in some rural areas of Virginia, the majority of residents lack broadband access, wEich is critical to economic growth;

and WHEREAS, local governments in rural Virginia cannot contribute financially to government service 3534 delivery in a manner comparable to that of local governments in suburban and urban regions;

and 3635 WHEREAS, the problems facing rural Virginians are interconnected and are distinct from the 37 challengeschaWHEREAS, thatmultiple faceagencies Virginiansunder indifferent metropolitanSecretariats areas;are responsible for providing services, 38 funding, and support for rural Virginia, but the Commonwealth lacks a single point of leadership, 39 attention, or coordination for its rural communities;

andnow, 38therefore, WHEREAS,be multipleit agenciesRESOLVED underby differentthe SecretariatsSenate, arethe responsibleHouse forof providingDelegates services,concurring, attention,That orthe coordinationJoint Legislative Audit and Review Commission be directed to study the need for itsand ruralfeasibility communities;of creating a Secretariat of Rural Affairs in the Commonwealth.

now, therefore, be ite point of leadership, RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission be directed to study the need for and feasibility of creating a Secretariat of Rural Affairs in the Commonwealth.

(ii) how the creation of a Secretariat of Rural Affairs might improve or streamlinecare, ruraleducation, Virginia's access to housing, employment, transportation, economic development, health agencies or commissions, or any other agencies or commissions that JLARC identifies, might be moved,ent in whole or in part, under the Secretariat of Rural Affairs, and thebroadband; benefits or potential hurdles of such a transition:

(iii) whether any divisions of any of the following Virginia government agencies or commissions, or any other agencies or commissions that JLARC identifies, might be moved, in whole or in part, under the Secretariat of Rural Affairs, and the benefits or potential hurdles of such a transition:

(v) SJ21 2 of 2 potential staffing models and funding needs for a Secretariat of Rural Affairs, acknowledging that the SJ21E 2 of 2 Secretariat will need expertise across a range of substantive policy areas and a physical presence in Virginia's rural regions;

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall complete its meetings by October 1, 2024,[ 2024 2025 ] , and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than December 1, 2024.[ 2024 2025 ] .