(16) for creating private corporations, or amending, renewing, or extending their charters, (17) for granting to any private corporation, association or individual any special or exclusive right, privilege or immunity, (18) for naming or changing the name of any private corporation or association, (19) for forfeiting the charter of a private corporation. * * * * * General laws pertaining to the above subjects may be amended or repealed as long as they do not have the effect of enactment of a special, private, or local law. The General Assembly also has the power, by means of general law, to confer upon boards of supervisors of counties and the councils of cities and towns powers of local and special legislation insofar as the delegation of power is not inconsistent with constitutional limitations. Each time the regular session of the legislature is held, the General Assembly appoints a standing committee, called the auditing committee which consists of two members of the Senate and three members of the House of Delegates. The chief function of this committee is to examine, at least once a year, the books of the State Treasurer and other government executive officers whose duties concern auditing or accounting for the State revenue and of the public institutions. This committee reports the results of its investigations to the Governor and must arrange for publication of results in two newspapers of general circulation. The Governor himself submits such reports to the General Assembly at the beginning of each session. The members of this committee have the right to employ accountants to assist them in carrying out their investigations. The Executive Department--Article V of the Virginia Constitution concerns the Executive Department. The chief function of the Executive Department is to enforce or carry out the laws. The highest executive officer in the State is the Governor. He receives his position by direct election of the qualified voters on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November of every other odd-numbered year--at the same time and place as the election of the General Assembly members. The term of office for a Governor is, therefore, four years. He is not eligible for re-election to the same office during the succeeding term; in other words, a Governor cannot succeed himself. The Governor's term begins on the third Wednesday in January on the first year after his election and ends on the Tuesday following the second Wednesday in January of his fourth year. This timing allows a new Governor to come into office one week after the General Assembly has convened for its regular session and has had the opportunity to organize. The interval also affords an opportunity for the outgoing Governor to present his opinions and experiences to the state legislature before his departure.