State board could buy nearby property for a community college

The State Board for Community Colleges would be authorized to buy the property from the Laurel Ridge Community College Educational Foundation. The property is about 4.8 acres next to Laurel Ridge Community College, including an existing building, its site, and nearby parking. The purchase price must be below the property's appraised fair market value, making the sale a partial gift to the Commonwealth. The purchase must use only nongeneral funds available to Laurel Ridge Community College, such as auxiliary reserves or revenue from noncredit workforce programs; general funds and capital outlay money are not required. If enacted, this authority would apply to the purchase; the bill states no end date.

After the purchase, the property would become a state facility under the State Board's control, and the college would keep the existing building available for student services and renovate it for classes and job training when funding becomes available. These provisions apply to the purchased property and its existing building. Renovation depends on funding becoming available from state or nonstate sources. The renovated building would support career and technical education, including health care, information technology, and skilled trades. These provisions would apply after the property is acquired; the bill sets no renovation deadline.