5.2 Organization of the Executive Branch

• Library: A Guide to Legal Research in Virginia (Virginia CLE) (2017 Ed.)

5.2 ORGANIZATION OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH

5.201 Governor. The chief executive power of the commonwealth is vested in the Governor. ¹ It is the Governor's duty to ensure that the laws of the commonwealth are faithfully executed. ² Under article V, section 10 of the Virginia Constitution, the Governor has the power to appoint and remove each officer serving as head of an administrative department or division of the executive branch of government. The Governor also serves as the chief budget and planning officer of the commonwealth as well as the chief personnel officer. ³ The Governor's office website,

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www.governor.virginia.gov, includes links to speeches, proclamations, and executive orders of the current administration and a link to the Library of Virginia's list of executive orders and directives in effect that were issued by former Governors.

Three documents issued by the Governor hold the same place in the annual release of the Reports to the General Assembly, available at http://lis.virginia.gov. House Document 1 (HD1) is the Governor's budget bill. Senate Document 1 (SD1) is the State of the Commonwealth speech. The annual List of Pardons...