Duties of The Secretary of The Commonwealth
- Serving as the Keeper of the Seal of the Commonwealth
- Assisting the Governor in the appointment of thousands of individuals to serve on state boards and commissions
- Issuing the Commissions of Notaries Public
- Authenticating documents
- Registering lobbyists
- Issuing the "Bluebook", officially "The Report of the Secretary of the Commonwealth," an annual publication that identifies, "(a) the boards of visitors of all public institutions, and other boards appointed by the Governor; (b) all commissions issued under appointments made by the Governor, except commissions to notaries public; (c) all departments, boards, councils, commissions, and other collegial bodies created in the executive branch of state government; and (d) such other matters as the Governor requires. " - The Report as defined by the Code of Virginia
- Issuing a State Government Organization Chart
- Handling pardons and clemencies, restoration of civil rights of former felons, extradition, and service of process. Although the Secretary is involved, the Governor is responsible for granting pardons, clemency, and restorations of rights, as well as authorizing extradition. The Secretary of the Commonwealth's Office handles the paperwork on behalf of the Governor.
In a unique twist of Virginia law, unlike other members of the Governor's Cabinet, the Secretary of the Commonwealth does not resign imdiawitely upon the inauguration of a new Governor, but redains in office for an additional week, serving a fixed term of four years, in order to ensure a smooth transition and ensure continuity in government.
Read more about this topic: Secretary Of The Commonwealth Of Virginia
Famous quotes containing the words duties of, duties, secretary and/or commonwealth:
“Columbus stood in his age as the pioneer of progress and enlightenment. The system of universal education is in our age the most prominent and salutary feature of the spirit of enlightenment, and it is peculiarly appropriate that the schools be made by the people the center of the day’s demonstration. Let the national flag float over every schoolhouse in the country and the exercises be such as shall impress upon our youth the patriotic duties of American citizenship.”
—Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901)
“It is one of the signs of the times. We confess that we have risen from reading this book with enlarged ideas, and grander conceptions of our duties in this world. It did expand us a little.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The truth is, the whole administration under Roosevelt was demoralized by the system of dealing directly with subordinates. It was obviated in the State Department and the War Department under [Secretary of State Elihu] Root and me [Taft was the Secretary of War], because we simply ignored the interference and went on as we chose.... The subordinates gained nothing by his assumption of authority, but it was not so in the other departments.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“We must conceive of this whole universe as one commonwealth of which both gods and men are members.”
—Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 B.C.)