Virginia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Statutory Authorities Summarized

Publication Date: May 2004

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Government

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Abstract:

The Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Services and Disaster Law of 2000 (Va. Code §44-146.13) consolidated the state’s emergency management statutes. The law delegates emergency powers to the governor, the Department of Emergency Management, and political subdivisions. It also provides for mutual aid agreements. Assistance and funding primarily emanate from federal aid and the Virginia Disaster Response Fund, which is administered by the Department of Emergency Management. The state constitution establishes the authority for continuity of government operations.

This report is one of a series that profiles emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. Congressional readers may wish to conduct further searches for related provisions using the Internet link presented in the last section of this report. The National Conference of State Legislatures provided primary research assistance in the development of these profiles under contract to the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Summary information on all of the profiles is presented in CRS Report RL32287. This report will be updated as developments warrant.