Chap. 303.—An ACT to regulate the operation of certain summer camps, to require
certain sanitary and health provisions to be made therefor, to provide for the
inspection thereof and for the issuance and revocation of permits for the opera-
tion thereof and for appeals in certain cases, to confer and impose certain
powers and duties upon the State Health Commissioner and the agents and
employees of the Department of Health, and to prescribe pen:uties for violations.

[S B 161]
Approved March 28, 1940

1. Beit enacted by the General Assembly of Viryinia, as follows:

Section 1. Definitions: As Used in This Act—(a) “Summer
amp” means and includes any building, tent or vehicle, or group of
yuildings, tents or vehicles if operated as one place cr establishment,
yr any other place or establishment, public or private, together with
-he land and waters adjacent thereto, which is ope:ated or used in
this State, for the entertainment, education, recreation, religious in-
struction or activity, physical education or health cf children under
sighteen years of age who are not related to the operator of such
place or establishment by blood or marriage within the third degree
of consanguinity or affinity, if five or more such chi.dren are accom-
modated at any one time, gratuitously or for compensation, during
any portion of more than two consecutive days;

(b) “Person” means and includes any individual, partnership,
corporation or association;

(c) ‘‘Department’’ means the State Department. of Health;

(d) ‘‘Commissioner’’ means the State Health Commissioner.

Section 2. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate, or
to cause or permit to be operated on land owned or leased by him,
any summer camp on or after July fifteenth, nineteen hundred and
forty, unless there be first obtained by the person who shall operate
such camp a permit therefor, as hereinafter providecl.

(b) Each application for such a permit shall be made to the
Commissioner at least thirty days prior to the opening of the camp
to be operated by the applicant and shall state the ::ame and address
of the applicant, the location of the camp and the purposes for whick
it is proposed to be operated.

(c) Upon receipt of such application the Commissioner shal!
cause an investigation to be made, by duly authoriz2d representatives
of the Department, with reference to the location of the camp, anc
as to its excreta disposal and other toilet facilities, water supply anc
drinking facilities, screening against flies and other insects, waste
garbage and trash disposal facilities, sources of su»ply and method:
of handling food, employees engaged in handling food, milk supply,
methods of washing and sanitizing eating and drinking utensils,
general cleanliness of the buildings, grounds and equipment, and as
to its bathing and swimming facilities. The persons required to make
such inspection shall make a written report to the Commissioner.

(d) If asa result of the said inspection and report it is found by
the Commissioner that adequate provision has been made for the
sanitation of the camp and its various services and facilities, and for
otherwise protecting the health of the children to be kept or other-
wise accommodated at such camp, he shall issue a written permit,
but if not he shall refuse to issue it. The Commissioner shall cause
the said investigation to be made with reasonable expedition and shall
immediately notify the applicant of such issuance or refusal, as the
case may be.

(e) Each permit so issued shall remain in full force and effect
for twelve months from its date of issuance, unless sooner revoked,
as hereinafter provided. After the expiration of such twelve month
period the said permit shall have no further force or effect unless
renewed.

(f) Renewals of such permit may be made by the Commissioner
after application and investigation made in like manner as is herein-
above required to be made with reference to the original application
and issuance.

(g) If any person shall make application for a permit or renewal
thereof and the Commissioner shall fail to take final action thereon
within thirty days after such application is made, either by way of
issuance or refusal, or shall fail within such time to notify the applicant
of any such final action, it shall be lawful for such applicant to operate
the camp for the operation of which the permit is applied for until
the Commissioner shall have taken such final action and notified
the applicant thereof.

Section 3. Inspections; Revocation of Permit——The Commis-
sioner is hereby authorized and empowered to cause any summer
camp for the operation of which a permit has been issued, as well as
the services and facilities thereof, to be inspected from time to time
by the duly authorized representatives of the Department, and to
revoke any such permit or renewal thereof if it shall appear from
such inspection that adequate provision is not maintained for the
sanitation of the camp or of any of its services or facilities, or for the
protection of the health of the children kept or accommodated therein.

Section 4. Appeals.—Any applicant to whom a permit or re-
newal thereof is refused to be issued, and any person whose permit is
revoked, as hereinabove provided, shall have a right to appeal to the
circuit court of the county or to the corporation court of the city
wherein such camp is located; or, if it be in a city having no corpora-
tion court, to the circuit court of such city or if there be no circuit
court of such city then to the circuit court having jurisdiction therein;
provided, that notice to commence the proceedings be served upon
the Commissioner within thirty days after such person receives
notice, in writing, of such revocation or refusal. Any such case may
be heard by the court or judge thereof in vacation upon ten days
written notice to the Commissioner, which notice shali be served and
returned as provided in section sixty hundred and forty-one of the
Code of Virginia. The court, or judge thereof in vacz.tion, may hear
the case after the said ten days notice whether the proceedings be
matured for hearing at the beginning of the then current or last pre-
ceding term of such court or not, shall enter such orders as shall be
just and proper, and render a decision upholding such refusal or
revocation, or ordering its issuance or reinstatement, according to
the requirements of justice.

Section 5. Penalties—Any person who shall operate a summer
camp without having first obtained a permit, or after the expiration
of such permit and before it is renewed, except as provided in sub-
section (g) of section two of this act, or after the revocation of such
permit, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof,
shall be fined not less than ten nor more than one hundred dollars
for each offense. The operation of a summer camp a: ter a conviction
under this section and in continued violation of this act shall con-
stitute a separate offense for each day during which it is so operated.