CHAPTER 194

An Act to amend and reenact § 37-75, as amended, of the Code of Vir-
ginia, relating to fees and expenses of commitment of mentally ill,
mentally deficient, epileptic, and inebriate persons and drug addicts.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 37-75, as amended, of the Code of Virginia be amended and
reenacted as follows:

§ 37-75. The two physicians shall receive a fee of five dollars each
for their services. The justice of the peace shall receive a fee of five
dollars for his services. The special justice in the city of Richmond
appointed in accordance with the provisions of § 87-61.2 of the Code of
Virginia shall receive a fee of ten dollars for his service. The officer
making the arrest and summoning the commission and witnesses shall
receive the same fees as are allowed for like services in a felony case.
The witnesses regularly summoned before such commission shall receive
such compensation for their attendance and mileage as is allowed wit-
nesses summoned to testify before grand juries. The justice and each
physician shall receive like mileage. All expenses incurred, whether such
person be committed to any State hospital or colony or not, including the
fees, attendance and mileage aforesaid, shall be paid by the county or
city of which such person was a legal resident at the time of such com-
mitment; provided, that if such person’s residence is not established in
the State of Virginia, costs shall be paid by the State, and provided that
if any such person, at the time of commitment, be confined in any State-
supported institution, such fee shall be paid by the State. Any such fees,
costs and expenses incurred in connection with the examination of any
person under the provisions of §§ 37-61 to 37-65, when paid by any
county, city, or the State, shall be recoverable by such county, city, or
the State, from the person so examined, or from his estate, in an appro-
priate action or proceeding for such purpose; provided, no such fee or
costs shall be recovered from any person or his estate when he is found
sane or not subject to commitment under §§ 37-61 to 37-65 of the Code.

An emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.