CHAPTER 341

An Act to amend and reenact § 47-1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to
notaries public for counties and citves. [H 637]

Approved March 12, 1956

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
ky That § 47-1 of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted as

ollows:

§ 47-1. (1) Appointment and term of office; powers; removal.—
The Governor shall appoint in and for the several counties and cities of
the State as many notaries as to him may seem proper, who shall hold
office for the term of four years, and who shall exercise the powers and
functions of conservators of the peace, and who shall be removable by
the Governor at will for misconduct, incapacity or neglect of official duty;
but in every case where the Governor shall remove a notary public from
office, he shall report such action with his reasons therefor to the next
session of the General Assembly.

(2) Serving for two or more counties or cities; fees for commissions.
—The Governor may appoint the same person to serve for two or more
counties and cities, in which case only one commission shall be issued and
the fee for issuing the same shall be three dollars for the first county or
city and five dollars for each additional county or city, for which such
notary is appointed to serve.

(3) Acting in contiguous counties or cities—A notary for a city
shall also have authority to act as such in counties and cities contiguous
thereto, and a notary for a county shall also have authority to act as such
in cities contiguous thereto.

(4) Bond; time to qualify.—Each notary shall give bond with surety
in the circuit court of the county, or corporation court of the city, for
which the notary is appointed, or if the appointment be for more than one
county or city, then in one of such courts, or before the judge of such
court in vacation, or before the clerk thereof, within four months from the
date of such notary’s commission, in a penalty of not less than five hundred
dollars, with condition for the faithful discharge of the duties of his
office; and the clerk of the court shall immediately forward a certified
copy of such bond to the Secretary of the Commonwealth. If any person
appointed shall fail to qualify within four months from the date of his
appointment the clerk of the court shall return his commission to the
Secretary of the Commonwealth.

(5) Residence.—A notary public may or may not be a resident of
any county or city for which he is appointed.

(6) Duties of Secretary of Commonwealth and clerks.—It shall be
the duty of the Secretary of the Commonwealth when a commission is
ordered by the Governor, to send the same to the clerk of the circuit
court of the county or corporation court of the city in which, or in one
of which, the notary public is required to qualify, to be delivered by him
to the notary public after the notary public has given bond, and taken
the oath of office; and the clerk of the court in which this is done shall
forthwith report the fact to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, who shall
CHS. 341, 342, 343] ACTS OF ASSEMBLY 397

keep a book stating the names and numbers of notaries public, when ap-
pointed and when qualified. ;

(7) Validation of appointments and official acts.—The appointments
and commissions of all notaries public made prior to the seventh day of
February, nineteen hundred and forty-two, for counties or cities in which
they did or do not reside are hereby approved, confirmed and ratified as
of the date of their appointments and all acknowledgments and other
ate ia of such notaries public taken prior to such date are hereby
vi a