Chap. 80.—An ACT to authorize the State Board of Public Welfare to fix stand-
ards and make regulations for the operation of certain homes for aged, infirm,
chronically ill or incapacitated persons, and to require compliance with such
standards; and to provide penalties for violations of the provisions 1S '6 act.

72]
Approved March 2, 1946

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia :

1. Section 1. The following terms, whenever used or referred to
in this act, shall have the following meaning, unless a different meaning
clearly appears from the context:

“Board” means the State Board of Public Welfare.

“Home”, “boarding home” and “home for the aged” means any
place, establishment, or institution operated or maintained for the main-
tenance or care of two or more aged, infirm, chronically ill or incapaci-
tated persons.

“Person” means any individual, partnership, association or corpora-
tion.

Section 2. The Board is authorized and directed to establish stand-
ards and to provide reasonable rules and regulations for the construction,
maintenance and operation of boarding homes, homes for the aged, and
other similar homes, and shall place upon its list of approved homes for
the care of indigent aged, infirm, chronically ill or incapacitated persons
homes that conform to such standards and comply with such regula-
tions. All regulations so prescribed shall be of such nature as to pro-
mote and protect the health, safety and welfare of the persons cared for
therein. :

Section 3. The Board and its authorized agents shall have the
right to inspect and investigate all such homes, interview its inmates,
and have access to its records of admissions and discharges. A written
report of each investigation made shall be filed with the Board, and shall
be available for inspection at any reasonable time by any person having
a bona fide interest in the operation of such home.

Section 4. Any person operating any such home who is aggrieved
by any action of the Board or its agents shall have the right to apply for
and receive a fair hearing before the Board.

Section 5. This act shall not apply to any hospital, nursing home,
maternity home, children’s home or other home or institution which is
now or may hereafter be subject to regulation by the Board, or by the
State Board of Health, nor to any person who maintains or cares for in
his residence or home only persons related to him by blood or marriage.

Section 6. It shall be unlawful for any person to refuse or fail to
give access to the Board or its authorized agents in any inspection or in-
vestigation provided for herein, or to fail or refuse to make reasonable
reports required by the Board, or to interfere with any authorized agent
of the Board in the discharge of his duties under this act, or to make any
report or statement with respect to the operation of any home which is
known by such person to be false or untrue. Any person violating any
of the provisions of this act shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not
to exceed one hundred dollars for the first offense, and not to exceed five
hundred dollars for each subsequent offense.