Chap. 6.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 2073 of the Code of Virginia,
as amended by an act approved March 19, 1920. [H B 6]

Approved February 11, 1922.

‘Whereas, it is the fixed policy of the State of Virginia not to
employ convicts upon contract work, but
Whereas, there are a number of convicts in the penitentiary who,
on account of their physical condition, character or disposition, the
superintendent of the penitentiary deems it unsafe to put on the State
convict road force, and
Whereas, the State use system has not been sufficiently developed
to take care of all such convicts, and |

Whereas, unless some further provision be made by law for the
employment of such convicts they will be confined in idleness after
February first, nineteen hundred and twenty-two; and

Whereas, it is expedient to provide employment for such convicts,
now, therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sec-
tion two thousand and seventy-three of the Code of Virginia, as
amended by an act approved March nineteenth, nineteen hundred
and twenty, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Sec. 2073. How State-convict road force constituted ; employment
of certain convicts at the penitentiary.—All male prisoners convicted
of felony, and sentenced to confinement in the penitentiary, and all
male persons now convicted and confined in the public jails, or who
may be hereafter convicted and so confined, and sentenced to the
road force for a misdemeanor, shall, when delivered to the super-
intendent of the penitentiary, under the provisions.of sections twenty
hundred and seventy-five and twenty hundred and ninety-six, con-
stitute the State convict road force. But such convicts as the super-
intendent of the penitentiary shall deem it improper or unsafe to be
put on the convict road force or other public works, on account of
physical condition, character, or disposition, may be employed by
the penitentiary board in work for the State at the penitentiary,
or in State or county stone quarries, or at the State farm. Convicts
actually confined within the penitentiary, however, shall be used, as
far as possible, in the making of clothes, shoes and other necessary
articles required by the State convict road force and other. institu-
tions of the State, and the superintendent of the penitentiary and
the penitentiary board are authorized and empowered to charge the
State convict road force and other State institutions the actual cost
of the materials used in the manufacture of articles furnished them,
and in addition thereto ten per centum of the said cost, the fund
so derived to be used to keep in repair and to replace the ma-
chinery, tools, et cetera, used in the manufacture of the various
articles furnished. Any surplus of manufactured articles not re-
quired by the State convict road force and the other institutions of
the State may be disposed of by the penitentiary board as it may
deem best. It is further provided that the superintendent of the
penitentiary and the penitentiary board, on the part of the State,
with the approval of the governor, may extend the contract of em-
ployment in force on the passage of this act, or may enter into a
new contract, to such an extent as may be necessary to obviate the
necessity of keeping in idleness convicts actually confined in the
penitentiary, and not otherwise employed; provided that the new
contract shall automatically expire on February first, nineteen hun-
dred and twenty-four, or earlier at the option of the penitentiary
board and with the approval of the governor. But no such contract
shall be extended or renewed or a new contract entered into, unless
and until the contractor shall have given bond in form approved by
the attorney general, and with such security and in such penalty
as may be determined by the board with the advice and consent of
the governor, conditioned upon the faithful performance of all the
terms of his contract.

2. An emergency existing, this act shall be in force from its
passage.