CHAPTER 480

An Act to amend and reenact § 33-255.41, as amended, of the Code of
Virginia, relating to The Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike Authority,
so as to provide the manner in which the ruses ANd TEGunnnne wT
Authority may be proved in evidence and to change the date for
making the annual report of the activities of the Authority. CH 2761

Approved March 31, 1960

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 33-255.41, as amended, of the Code of Virginia, be amended
and reenacted as follows:

§ 33-255.41. (a) The project, when constructed and opened to traffic,
shall be maintained and kept in good condition and repair by the Authority,
and shall be operated by such tolltakers and other operating employees as
the Authority may employ. The project shall be policed by such number of
officers of the Department of State Police as shall be mutually agreed to
from time to time by the Superintendent of State Police and the Authority.
Such officers shall be under the exclusive control and direction of the Super-
intendent of State Police and shall be responsible to him exclusively, for
the performance of their duties and the exercise of their powers. The Au-
thority shall reimburse the Commonwealth at such time or times as shall
be required by the Superintendent the compensation paid to such officers
by the Commonwealth and other costs and expenses incurred in performing
such functions *. Such expenses shall constitute a part of the cost of
maintaining and operating the project. Such officers shall be responsible
for the preservation of the public peace, prevention of crime, apprehension
of criminals, protection of the rights of persons and property, and enforce-
ment of the laws of the Commonwealth and all rules and regulations made
in accordance therewith, within the limits of the right of way of the
project, and all rules and regulations established by the Authority pursuant
to paragraph (e) of § 33-255.28 of this article, and such officers shall have
all the rights and duties of police officers as provided by the general laws
of the Commonwealth within the limits of such right of way and such
areas. The violation of any such rule or regulation shall be punishable as
follows: If such a violation would have been a violation of law if committed
on any public road, street or highway in the county, city or town in which
such violation occurred, it shall be punishable in the same manner as if it
had been committed on such public road, street or highway; otherwise it
shall be punishable as a misdemeanor. All other police officers of the
Commonwealth and of each county, city, town or other political subdivision
of the Commonwealth through which the project extends shall have the
same powers and jurisdiction within the limits of such right of way and
areas as they have beyond such limits and shall have access to the project,
right of way and areas at any and all times without interference for the
purpose of exercising such powers and jurisdiction. For the purpose of
enforcing such laws, rules and regulations the court or courts having juris-
diction for the trial of criminal offenses of the municipality, county or
other political subdivision within whose boundaries any crime is committed
shall have jurisdiction to try any person charged with the violation of any
such laws, rules and regulations within such boundaries. A copy of the rules
and regulations of the Authority, attested by the Secretary-Treasurer of
the Authority, may be admitted as evidence in lieu of the original. Any
such copy purporting to be sealed and signed by such Secretary-Treasurer
may be admitted as evidence without any proof of the seal or signature, or
of the official character of the person whose name is signed to it.

(b) All actions at law and suits in equity and other proceedings,
actions and suits against the Authority, or any other person, firm or cor-
poration, growing out of the construction, maintenance, repair, operation
and use of the project, or growing out of any other circumstances, events
or causes in connection therewith, shall be brought and conducted in the
court or courts having jurisdiction of such actions, suits and proceedings
in the municipalities, counties or other political subdivisions within whose
boundaries the causes of such actions, suits and proceedings arise, and
jurisdiction is hereby conferred on such court or courts for the purpose.
All such actions, suits and proceedings on behalf of the Authority shall be
brought and conducted in the Circuit Court of the city of Richmond, except
as herein otherwise provided, and exclusive jurisdiction is hereby conferred
on such court for the purpose. Eminent domain proceedings instituted and
conducted by the Authority shall be brought and conducted in the court
or courts having jurisdiction of such proceedings in the municipality,
county or other political subdivision within whose boundaries the land
or other property to be so acquired or the major portion thereof is situated,
and jurisdiction is hereby conferred on such courts for such purpose.

(c) All private property damaged or destroyed in carrying out the
powers granted by this article shall be restored or repaired and placed in
its original condition as nearly as practicable or just compensation shall be
paid therefor out of funds provided under the provisions of this article.

(d) On or before the * thirty-first day of July in each year, the Au-
thority shall make a report of its activities for the twelve months period
preceding July 1 of such year to the Governor and the municipalities,
counties and other political subdivisions through which the project is
constructed. Each such report shall set forth a complete operating and
financial statement covering the Authority’s operations during the year,
including the clagses of employees and the compensation paid to them. The
Authority shall cause an audit of its books and accounts to be made at least
once in each year by certified public accountants and the cost thereof shall
be treated as a part of the cost of construction and operation of the project.

(e) The records, books and accounts of the Authority shall be subject
to examination and inspection by duly authorized representatives of the
Governor, the State Highway Commission, the governing bodies of the
municipalities, counties or other political subdivisions through which the
project is constructed and any bondholder or bondholders at any reasonable
time, provided the business of the Authority is not unduly interrupted or
interfered with thereby.

(f) Any member, agent or employee of the Authority who contracts
with the Authority or is interested, either directly or indirectly, in any con-
tract with the Authority or in the sale of any property, either real or
personal, to the Authority shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be
subject to a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or imprisonment
in jail for not more than one year, either or both. Exclusive jurisdiction
for the trial of such misdemeanors is hereby conferred upon the Hustings
Court of the city of Richmond.