3.2-3001 - Wine Board; purpose; composition and appointment of members; quorum; meetings.

§ 3.2-3001. Wine Board; purpose; composition and appointment of members;quorum; meetings.

A. The Wine Board is established within the Department. The purpose of theWine Board is to foster the development of the Virginia wine industry byexpanding viticulture and enological research, increasing education, andpromoting the production of grapes and wine in the Commonwealth.

B. The Wine Board shall consist of 10 members, nine of whom shall be votingnonlegislative citizen members, to be appointed by the Governor, and the 10thshall be the Commissioner, who shall serve as a nonvoting ex officio member.Nonlegislative citizen members shall be citizens of the Commonwealth andshall be either grape growers or owners or operators of a winery or farmwinery in the Commonwealth. The Governor shall make his appointments uponconsideration of the recommendations made by any grape grower, an owner oroperator of a winery or farm winery, or the following agriculturalorganizations or their successor organizations: the Virginia WineriesAssociation, Inc.; the Virginia Vineyards Association, Inc.; the VirginiaFarm Bureau; and the Virginia Agribusiness Council.

C. A majority of the members of the Wine Board shall constitute a quorum, buta two-thirds vote of the members present shall be required for passage ofitems taken up by the Wine Board. The Wine Board shall meet at least fourtimes each year. The meetings of the Wine Board shall be held at the call ofthe chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.

(2004, cc. 89, 319, §§ 3.1-1064.2, 3.1-1064.3; 2008, c. 860.)