Advisory Board

The name of the Board is the Advisory Board of VDDHH, hereinafter, known as the Board.

The Board is to function in conjunction with the Department to fulfill the stated mission:
VDDHH operates with the full understanding that communication is the most critical issue facing persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. The foundation of all programs at VDDHH is communication – both as a service (through interpreters, technology and other modes) and as a means of sharing information for public awareness (through training and education).

Section 1. Legal Base: Code of Virginia, Title51.5, Chapter 13 containing sections
Numbered 51.5-106 through 51.5-114 provide the legal base for the Department’s activities.

Section 2. Powers and Duties of the Board:
§ 51.5-107. (Effective October 1, 2002) Powers and duties of Board.
The Board shall have the following powers and duties:

1. To ensure the development of long-range programs and plans provided by the state and local governments for Virginians who are deaf or hard-of-hearing;
2. To review and comment on all budgets and requests for appropriations for the Department prior to their submission to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources and the Governor and on all applications for federal funds; and
3. To advise the Governor, Secretary of Health and Human Resources, Director and the General Assembly on matters related to Virginians who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
   (1984, c. 670, § 63.1-85.1:3; 2002, c. 747.)

Section 1. § 51.5-111. (Effective October 1, 2002) Persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing defined and categorized.

For the purposes of this chapter, persons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing include those who experience hearing losses that range from a mild hearing loss to a profound hearing loss. They are categorized as follows:

1. Persons who are deaf are those whose hearing is totally impaired or whose hearing, with or without amplification, is so seriously impaired that the primary means of receiving spoken communication is through visual input such as lip-reading, sign language, finger spelling, reading or writing.
2. Persons who are hard-of-hearing are those whose hearing is impaired to an extent that makes hearing difficult but does not preclude the understanding of spoken communication through the ear alone, with or without a hearing aid.
   (1984, c. 670, § 63.1-85.3:1; 2002, c. 747.)

Section 2. Clientele: The Department shall provide assistance to persons in the following categories who request assistance and information:

1. Deaf people of all ages, including those with other disabling conditions
2. Hard of hearing people of all ages
3. Speech impaired people of all ages
4. Families of children and adults who are deaf, hard of hearing and/or speech impaired
5. Professionals
6. Citizens
7. Organizations
8. Non-profit agencies
9. Executive and Legislative branches
10. Federal, State, Regional and Local agencies

Section 1. Composition: (As stipulated in the Code of Virginia) The Board shall compose of nine members appointed by the Governor as follows: Four representatives of deafness-oriented professions concerned with the health, education, rehabilitation, mental health and welfare of the deaf and hard of hearing; four citizens who are deaf or hard of hearing, and one member who is a parent of a deaf or hard of hearing child.

Section 2. Terms: (As stipulated in the Code of Virginia)

A. Appointments shall be for terms of four years.
No person shall be eligible to serve more than two successive terms, except that a person appointed to fill a vacancy may serve two additional successive four year terms.

Section 3. Authority of Individual Members: No member of the Board shall at any time act or purport to act in behalf of or in the name of the Department or the Board without prior authority from the Board and the Department.

Section 4. Compensation and expenses: The members of the Board may be paid their necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.

Section 1. Officers of the Board: The officers of the Board shall be a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson

Section 2. Selection of Officers:

A. The Chairperson shall be elected by the Board from among its membership. The Chairperson shall serve for a two year term. The incumbent shall be eligible for re-election.

B. The Vice-Chairperson shall be elected by the Board from among its membership. She/he shall serve for a two year term. The Vice Chairperson shall also be eligible for re-election.

C. Elections shall be held in odd numbered years in the month of November with the term of office beginning immediately. In the case of the Chair being vacant, the Vice-Chairperson shall serve as the temporary Chairperson until the next Board meeting, at which time a new election shall be held to fulfill the remainder of the original term.

Section 3. Duties of Officers:

A. The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Board, shall be a member ex-officio of all standing committees, and shall perform such other duties as may be imposed by action of the Board or as set forth in other sections of these regulations.

B. The Vice Chairperson shall serve in the absence of the Chairperson of the Board and shall perform such other duties as may be imposed by action of the Board or as set forth in other sections of these regulations.

Section 4. Executive Committee:

A. The Executive Committee shall consist of three members including at least one person who is deaf or hard of hearing. They are appointed by the Chairperson of the Board who will also serve as Chairperson of the Executive Committee.

B. The Executive Committee shall carry out functions as assigned by the Board in keeping with the purposes and administration of the Department. The Executive Committee may assist Department staff in problem solving and decisions.

C. The Executive Committee may be called to meet as needed and at the request of the Chairperson.

Section 5. Special Committees:

A. Special Committees shall be appointed by the Chairperson whenever they are deemed necessary by the Board. A special committee shall be restricted to its assigned task, shall report its recommendations to the Board, and shall be dissolved when its report is complete and accepted by the Board unless otherwise provided by the Board.

Section 1. Regular Board Meetings:

A. The Board shall meet at the call of the Chairperson, but no less than four times a year.

B. Meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of November, February, May and August.

C. The time and place of any regular meeting may be changed if notification is given at least 10 working days prior to the meeting.

Section 2. Special Meetings:

A. Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson, upon the written request of any three members of the Board, or by the Director when approved by the Chairperson.

B. Notice to all Board members stating the time, place and purpose of the special meeting shall be mailed as early as possible, but in no case less than five working days prior to the meeting.

Section 3. Director: The Director shall attend all meetings and be responsible for seeing that Minutes are accurately kept.

Section 4. Agendas:

A. The agenda for all meetings of the Board shall be prepared by the Director or his designee in consultation with the Chairperson. Copies of the tentative agenda shall be provided in hard copy or electronically to each member at least five working days prior to each regular meeting.

B. Copies of the agenda shall be available at each meeting for members of the media and public.

Section 5. Meetings to be Public:

All regular and special meetings of the Board shall be open to the public, provided that the Board may meet in Closed Meeting to consider matters as permitted by the Freedom of Information Act (Va. Code §2.2-3711). Such Closed Meetings shall be held when feasible after all items of business on the agenda have been conducted.

Section 6. Citizen Participation:

A. Individuals or representatives of groups may speak on agenda topics at at a publicly-announced time on the agenda during each meeting provided they have notified the Chairperson of their desire to do so prior to the meeting being called to order. Such individuals or group representatives will be allotted up to ten minutes to present their information to the Board. The Board may, by majority vote, extend such time limit as it deems appropriate.

B. After the Board has dispensed with items on the agenda, members of the public will be permitted ten minutes to speak on non-agenda matters. The Board may, by majority vote, extend or further limit time on such appearance if it seems appropriate.

C. Except in emergencies, the Board shall not attempt to decide upon any question before examining and evaluating the information any person requests the Board to consider. The appropriate Committee of the Board and/or Director shall be given an opportunity to examine and to evaluate all such information and to recommend action before the Board makes a decision.

Section 7. Quorum: Five Board members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 8. Voting: All action taken by the Board shall require a simple majority vote of Board members present.

Section 9. Recordings of the Meeting: Typed minutes of each meeting shall be signed by the Chairperson and the Director or the secretary taking minutes and shall be maintained as a public record in the custody of the Director. These minutes shall be sent to each Board member and approved at the next Board meeting. Draft minutes will be posted on the VDDHH web site (www.vddhh.virginia.gov) within ten (10) days of the meeting. Approved minutes will be posted on the VDDHH web site within three days of the meeting at which they were approved.

Section 10. Adjourned Meetings: Adjourned meetings may be held as the business or the Board requires. At the time of adjournment, the time, date and place of the continuation of the meeting or next meeting shall be determined and announced.

Section 11. Parliamentary Procedure: Roberts Rules of Order shall prevail except as otherwise provided herein.

The Board shall at it's discretion make and submit to the Governor and the General Assembly a report of it's findings and recommendations. The report shall be submitted not less than 30 days prior to the convening of the regular session of the General Assembly.

These regulations, except those quoted from the enabling statute, may be amended at any meeting of the Board by a simple majority.

Amended and adopted by Board
11/6/2003