§ 2.2-2634. Powers and duties of Council
In addition to the other powers and duties prescribed in this article, the Council shall have the following powers to:
1. Meet and function at any place in the Commonwealth;
2. Establish and maintain an office;
3. Select, and fix the compensation of, such technical advisors and employees as it deems necessary, or to authorize such action by the Director. The Attorney General shall represent the Council in all litigation to which the Council is a party;
4. Appoint and compensate qualified hearing officers from the list of hearing officers maintained by the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia;
5. Promote creation of local commissions to aid in effectuating the policies of this article and to enter into cooperative worksharing or other agreements with federal agencies or local commissions, including the deferral of complaints of discrimination to federal agencies or local commissions;
6. Adopt, promulgate, amend and rescind regulations consistent with this article pursuant to the Virginia Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.). No such regulation shall be inconsistent with any state or federal law or regulation. However, the Council shall not have the authority to adopt regulations on a substantive matter when another state agency is authorized to adopt such regulations;
7. Receive, investigate, seek to conciliate, refer to another agency, hold hearings pursuant to the Virginia Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.), and make findings and recommendations upon complaints alleging unlawful discriminatory practices;
8. Make studies and appoint advisory councils to effectuate the purposes and policies of the article and to make the results thereof available to the public;
9. Accept public grants or private gifts, bequests, or other payments, as appropriate;
10. Furnish technical assistance upon request of persons subject to this article to further comply with the article or an order issued thereunder;
11. Inquire into incidents that may constitute unlawful acts of discrimination or unfounded charges of unlawful discrimination under state or federal law, and to take such action within the Council's authority designed to prevent such acts;
12. Create an official seal that shall be judicially noticed; and
13. Seek, with the approval of the Attorney General, through appropriate enforcement authorities, prevention of or relief from an alleged unlawful discriminatory practice; however, the Council itself shall have no power to issue subpoenas, award damages, or grant injunctive relief.
(1987, c. 581, § 2.1-720; 2001, c. 844; 2004, c. 58.)
Sections: Previous 2.2-2629 2.2-2629.1 2.2-2629.2 2.2-2630 2.2-2631 2.2-2632 2.2-2633 2.2-2634 2.2-2635 2.2-2636 2.2-2637 2.2-2638 2.2-2639 2.2-2640 2.2-2642 NextLast modified: April 16, 2009