A. The Department may administer training programs for the purpose of (i) assisting with the provision of selected requirements of the federal mine safety law and (ii) preparing miners for examinations administered by the Department. The Director shall establish the curriculum and teaching materials for each training program, which shall be consistent with the requirements of the federal mine safety law where feasible.
B. The Department is authorized to charge each person attending a training program reasonable fees to cover the costs of administering the program. The Director may exempt certain persons from any required fees for refresher training programs based on the person's employment status or any other criteria the Director deems appropriate. The Director shall not be required to allocate more of the Department's resources to training programs than are appropriated or otherwise made available for such purpose or are collected from fees charged to attendees.
C. No miner, operator, or other person shall be required to participate in any training program established under this section. Nothing contained in this section shall prevent an operator or any other person from administering a state-approved training program.
1997, c. 390, § 45.1-161.292:71; 1998, c. 695; 2012, cc. 803, 835; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.