Chap. 216.—An ACT to create an advisory and research commission to investi-
gate and report upon the question of freight rates, freight rate discrimina-
tions, and the development of water-ways; to prescribe its powers and duties,
and to make an appropriation to pay the expenses of the said comet e187]

Approved March 15, 1928

1. Be 1t enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That an
advisory and research commission is hereby created to be known
as the transportation and public utility advisory commission. The
commission shall consist of eleven citizens of the Commonwealth
of Virginia, whose experience and knowledge as business men and
shippers are such as to enable them to give intelligent consideration
to the problems assigned them by this act for investigation. The
members of the commission shall be appointed by the governor;
one from each congressional district, and one from the State at
large. The governor shall also appoint one of the members of the
commission chairman, and another vice-chairman, and shall fill any
vacancies that may occur in the membership of the commission.

2. It shall be the duty of the chairman to call the commission
into session at an early time and at a place to be designated by
him at which session the commission shall organize and adopt rules
for its administration and the conduct of its proceedings. The
commission shall elect a secretary, and is authorized to employ
clerks, assistants, competent counsel and experts.

3. The members of the commission shall receive no compensa-
tion, but shall be paid their actual expenses incurred in the per-
formance of their duties under this act, to be paid in the manner
hereinafter provided.

4. It shall be the duty of the commission to investigate and
study the subject of freight rates to, from and within Virginia, in
all its phases, and especially with reference to whether or not
there is discrimination in such rates in any interstate rates against
receivers and shippers of freight from and to Virginia, the history
and causes thereof, and to recommend such action as in its judg-
ment should be taken to secure a correction of any improper rates,
classifications of traffic and schedules, rules or regulations, and
especially of any such discrimination which it may find to exist.

5. It shall also investigate and study water transportation, and
recommend what action, if any, the State can properly and safely
take, either itself or in co-operation with the Federal government,
or otherwise, to aid in the development of water transportation to,
from, and within Virginia.

6. In the performance of its duties the transportation and pub-
lic utility advisory commission shall act as an aid to the State cor-
poration commission in performance of its duties and shall furnish
to the State corporation commission any information which it may
have with reference to the matter of freight rates and water trans-
portation.
7. The transportation and public utility advisory commission is
hereby authorized and empowered to intervene in behalf of the pub-
lic interest in any matter involving freight rates or water trans-
portation which may be pending before the State corporation com-
mission and whenever it shall deem proper to institute before
the State corporation commission any proceedings which it shall
deem necessary in the interest of the State of Virginia; and is
hereby authorized to employ counsel for such purpose within the
limits of its appropriation.

8. It shall be the duty of the commission, or of a committee
appointed by it, to take testimony of any interested parties upon
any or all phases of the subject matter assigned to them by this
act for investigation, or which may have a bearing upon the ques-
tions which they are directed to investigate.

9. The commission may hold hearings at such times and places
in this State as it may find convenient, and may designate one or
more members to take testimony outside of the borders of the
State, and within the Commonwealth of Virginia may compel the
production of books and papers by the same process and proceed-
ings authorized by law to compel the production of books and
papers in the courts of record of the Commonwealth.

10. The commission shall, from time to time, make report to the
governor setting forth the facts ascertained and conclusions reached
from its investigations, including recommendations as to any course
to be taken, either by the institution of proceedings before the
interstate commerce commission, before the shipping board, or in
the courts in respect to freight rates, or recommendations for legis-
lative measures, which in their judgment should be enacted by the
general assembly. The governor shall lay before the State corpora-
tion commission any recommendation of the commission which he
may deem proper and may, if he sees fit, indicate at the same time
his own opinions concerning such recommendations.

11. No recommendation that may involve expenditures not au-
thorized by this act shall become effective unless such recommenda-
tion is adopted by and an appropriation for such purpose made by
the general assembly, but it shall be the duty of the governor to
lay before the general assembly any recommendation of the com-
mission for further legislative action and to indicate at the same
time his own opinions concerning such recommendations.

12. For the purpose of paying the actual expenses of the com-
mission, the compensation of the employees thereof, and such other
incidental expenses as may be incurred in the performance of the
duties herein required, a sum not exceeding five thousand dollars for
the year ending February twenty-eight, nineteen hundred and
twenty-nine, and a sum not exceeding five thousand dollars fof the
year ending February twenty-eight, nineteen hundred and thirty,
is hereby appropriated out of any monies in the treasury, not other-
wise appropriated, the same to be paid by the treasurer on the war-
rant of the comptroller upon the proper voucher, or vouchers, re-
quired by the comptroller, approved by the chairman, or vice-
chairman.