Chap. 216.—An ACT relating to the public health, providing for the establishment
of special emergency health and sanitation areas; and providing for the making
and enforcing of health and sanitation rules and regulations within such areas
and for the construction and operation of essential health and sanitation
facilities. [S B 246]

Approved March 13, 1942 |

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, as follows:

Section 1. The Governor is hereby authorized, empowered ,and
directed, within his discretion, to designate as a special emergency health
and sanitation area any area or areas within this State which have been
seriously damaged by air raids or other catastrophe, or in which the
existence of any military or naval establishment of the United States or
of any industrial establishment constructed or enlarged for the purposes
of national defense subsequent to July first, nineteen hundred and forty,
has caused an increase in the population of such area to such an extent as
to produce unusual problems of health and sanitation.

Section 2. Whenever a special emergency health and sanitation
area is established by the Governor, as herein provided, the local board or
boards of health of the territory within such area may make, publish and
enforce rules and regulations designed to prevent the introduction of any
contagious or infectious disease and to safeguard the public health within
the area, and may construct or operate, or construct and operate, essential
health and sanitation facilities. ,

Section 3. In the event that the local board or boards of health of
the territory within such area is unable or fails to make or enforce ade-
quate rules and regulations, or to provide essential facilities, for the pro-
tection of the public health within special emergency health and sanitation
areas established within its jurisdiction, as herein provided, the State
Board of Health is hereby authorized and empowered to make, publish
and enforce such rules and regulations, and to provide such essential
facilities, for the protection of the public health within such area as may
be necessary, and for this purpose it may assume all of the powers and
authority heretofore or hereafter conferred by law upon local health
boards.

Section 4. Any local board of health having jurisdiction in the
territory within which such special emergency health and sanitation area
has been established, or the chief executive of any political subdivision
therein, may, by application in writing, request the State Board of Health
to undertake the protection of such area and in such event the State
Board of Health may make, publish and enforce reasonable rules and
regulations respecting health and sanitation, and may provide essential
facilities, in such area, and shall have full power and authority to protect
‘the public health as provided by this act. = Sg
Section 5. Any person, firm or corporation violating or failing tc
comply with any rule or regulation made pursuant to the provisions of this
act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished accordingly. | aT
Section 6. The State Board of Health is hereby directed to co-
operate with other agencies of this State, of other States and the Federal
Government in carrying out the provisions of State and Federal health
and sanitation programs in conformity with the purposes of this act. —
Section 7. The provisions of this act shall remain in effect only so
long as a state of war exists and for six months thereafter.
2. Anemergency existing, this act shall be in force from its passage.