Chap. 99.—An ACT to create the office of motor vehicle commissioner; to provide
for his election, and compensation; and to transfer from the secretary of the
Commonwealth to such commissioner all powers and duties heretofore con-
ferred or imposed upon the former by the laws concerning motor vehicles
and the taxes on motor vehicle fuels, and to invest the commissioner and his
assistants with the powers of a sheriff for the purpose of enforcing EE ni

Approved March 4, 1924.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That there
shall be elected by the joint vote of the two houses of the general assem-
bly at its session of nineteen hundred and twenty-four and every four
years thereafter, a motor vehicle commissioner, who shall receive a
salary of five thousand dollars per annum.

2. All the powers heretofore conferred, and all the duties imposed,
upon the secretary of the Commonwealth by the laws concerning motor
vehicles and the taxes on motor vehicle fuels, are hereby vested in, and
imposed upon, the commissioner of motor vehicles, and such powers
shall hereafter be exercised, and such duties shall hereafter be performed
by the said commissioner. Wherever the words “secretary of the
Commonwealth,” or other words denoting that officer, appear in any
such laws, they shall. be construed to mean the motor vehicle com-
missioner. .

3. Immediately upon the taking effect of this act, the secretary of
the Commdnwealth shall deliver to the commissioner of motor vehicles
all books, papers, records and equipment heretofore used by the former
In carrying out the laws concerning motor vehicles and the taxes on
motor vehicle fuels, and the latter shall give his receipt therefor.

4. The commissioner of motor vehicles and his assistants severally
are hereby vested with the powers of a sheriff for the purpose of enforcing
the laws of this State concerning motor vehicles and the taxes on motor
vehicle fuels, and it shall be the duty of such officer and his assistants to
use their best efforts to enforce the same; but nothing in this section
shall be construed as relieving any sheriff, constable, commissioner of
the revenue or police officer from the duty of aiding and assisting in the
enforcement of such laws.

5. The unexpended balance of any appropriation which may be
standing to the credit of the secretary of the Commonwealth when this
act takes effect for carrying out the laws concerning motor vehicles and
the taxes on motor vehicle fuels is hereby transferred to the commissioner
of motor vehicles and so much thereof as may be necessary may be

>perced by him for the purposes named in the appropriation.
6. During the recess of the general assembly the governor shall have
power to suspend from office the commissioner of motor vehicles for
misbehavior, incapacity, neglect of official duty, or acts performed with-
out due authority of law; but in case this power is exercised, the gov-
ernor shall report to the general assembly, at the next session thereof,
the fact of such suspension and the cause therefor, whereupon the
general assembly shall determine whether such commissioner shall be
restored or finally removed; and the governor shall have power, during
the recess of the general assembly, to appoint a pro tempore successor
to a commissioner so suspended.

7. Before entering upon the duties of his office, the motor vehicle
commissioner shall enter into bond, with some solvent guaranty com-
pany as surety, to be approved by the governor of this State, in the
penalty of one hundred thousand dollars, with condition to faithfully
account for and pay over monthly all moneys that may come into his
hands. The premium upon which said bond shall be paid by the
Commonwealth.