Chap. 244.—An ACT to amend and re-enact Section 20 of an act entitled “an act
to provide a new charter for the city of Richmond,” approved March 24,
1926, as heretofore amended, [S B 356]

Approved March 23, 1936

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That section
twenty of an act entitled “an act to provide a new charter for the
city of Richmond,” approved March twenty-fourth, nineteen hundred
and twenty-six, as heretofore amended, be amended and re-enacted so
as to read as follows:

Section 20. When by the provisions of this charter or the Consti-
tution and general laws of this State, the city council is authorized to
pass ordinances on any subject, they may provide and impose suitable
penalties for the violation of such ordinances or any of them, for
offenses committed within the city, by a fine not exceeding one thou-
sand dollars or imprisonment not exceeding twelve months or both, and
may also protect, by adequate penalties, the unauthorized use of the
city’s gas, water or sewer facilities, either in the city or within five
miles thereof, and upon conviction for violation of any ordinance the
presiding justice or judge may require bond of the person so convicted
with proper security in the penalty of not more than two thousand
dollars, conditioned to keep the peace and be of good behavior and
especially for the period of not more than one year not to violate the
ordinance for the breach of which he has been convicted. Such im-
prisonment may be ordered to be with or without labor; when ordered
to be with labor the council may, by ordinance, declare what kind of
labor shall be done for the city by such offenders, either at said jail
or elsewhere in said city. And the city council may subject the parent
or guardian of any such minor, or the master or mistress of any
apprentice, to any such fine for any such offense committed by such
minor or apprentice. From any fine or imprisonment imposed, an
appeal lies to the hustings court of the city, as in cases of misdemeanor.
Whenever any fine or penalty shall be imposed but not paid, the police
justice or court having jurisdiction, as the case may be, if he shall not
order the party to be imprisoned in the city jail may, unless an appeal
be forthwith taken, issue a fieri facias for said fine, directed to the
sergeant of the city. Such writ shall be returnable to the said police
justice within sixty days from its issuance; provided, that the said city
shall, in addition be, and is hereby, expressly authorized and empowered
to institute and maintain a suit or suits to restrain, by injunction, the
violation of any ordinance legally adopted by it, notwithstanding such
ordinance may provide penalties for its violation.

2. All acts or parts of acts, general and special, in conflict with
the provisions of this act, be and the same are hereby repealed to the
extent of such conflict.

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