A. The Division shall:
1. Establish a reference library which develops and maintains a library collection to support the work of the Division and the General Assembly and which provides general and specific reference services to members of the General Assembly;
2. Keep on file copies of all bills, resolutions, amendments thereto, reports of committees and other documents printed by order of either house of the General Assembly;
3. Accumulate data and statistics regarding the practical operation and effect of statutes of this and other states;
4. Carry out such research projects as shall be assigned to it by the Committees on Rules of the House of Delegates and the Senate;
5. Furnish upon written request of any person a copy of any charter of a city or town of the Commonwealth at the charge prevailing from time to time for reproducing same;
6. Carry out research and obtain and analyze information for members of the General Assembly and its committees; and
7. Provide an annual report to the General Assembly, indexed according to standing committee jurisdiction, on the status of all reports, actions, or data collection that is required by legislation enacted by the General Assembly or otherwise requested by the General Assembly of agencies and collegial bodies of state government. The report for the most recently completed calendar year shall be submitted to the General Assembly and the Governor as soon as practicable after the first day of the next regular session and may be provided through the legislative electronic information system.
B. Upon the request of the Governor, any member of the General Assembly, any Governor's Secretary, or the head of any legislative, judicial or independent agency, the Division shall:
1. Draft or aid in drafting legislative bills or resolutions and amendments thereto;
2. Advise as to the constitutionality or probable legal effect of proposed legislation;
3. Prepare summaries of existing laws affected by proposed legislation, compilations of laws in other states or countries relating to the subject matter of such legislation, and statements of the operation and effect of such laws; or
4. Make researches and examinations as to any subject of proposed legislation.
C. The Director shall perform such other duties as may be required of him by the Committees on Rules of the House of Delegates and the Senate.
1966, c. 676; 1973, c. 322; 1977, c. 672; 1979, c. 311; 1980, cc. 687, 723; 1984, c. 202; 1989, c. 412; 1990, c. 485; 2006, c. 662; 2008, c. 677; 2011, c. 765.