▁by ▁instructions ▁from ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Company ▁of ▁London ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁Governor ▁Sir ▁George ▁Ye ard ley . ▁It ▁was ▁initially ▁a ▁un ic amer al ▁body ▁composed ▁of ▁the ▁Company - app oint ed ▁Governor ▁and ▁Council ▁of ▁State , ▁plus ▁ 2 2 ▁burg esses ▁elected ▁by ▁the ▁settlement s ▁and ▁Jam est own . ▁The ▁ ▁Assembly ▁became ▁b ic amer al ▁in ▁ 1 6 4 2 ▁upon ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Burg esses . ▁At ▁various ▁times ▁it ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁Grand ▁Assembly ▁of ▁Virginia . ▁The ▁General ▁Assembly ▁met ▁in ▁Jam est own ▁from ▁ 1 6 1 9 ▁until ▁ 1 6 9 9 , ▁when ▁it ▁first ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁William ▁& ▁Mary ▁near ▁ ▁Williams burg , ▁Virginia ▁and ▁later ▁met ▁in ▁the ▁colonial ▁Capit ol ▁building . ▁It ▁became ▁the ▁General ▁Assembly ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 6 ▁with ▁the ▁rat ification ▁of ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Constitution . ▁The ▁government ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁Richmond ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 0 ▁during ▁the ▁administration ▁of ▁Governor ▁Thomas ▁Jefferson . ▁ ▁Sal ary ▁and ▁qual ifications ▁The ▁annual ▁sal ary ▁for ▁sen ators ▁is ▁$ 1 8 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁annual ▁sal ary ▁for ▁deleg ates ▁is ▁$ 1 7 , 6 4 0 . ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁Constitution ▁of ▁Virginia , ▁Sen ators ▁and ▁De leg ates ▁must ▁be ▁ 2 1 ▁years ▁of ▁age ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁election , ▁residents ▁of