Chap. 356.—An ACT to amend and re-enact sections 555 and 659 of the Code of
Virginia, in relation to licenses.

Approved December 8, 1903.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sections
five hundred and fifty-five and five hundred and fifty-nine of the Code of
Virginia, in relation to licenses, be amended and re-enacted so as to read
as follows:

§ 555. Commissioners to attend terms of circuit courts next preceding
first day of May, and March and April terms of corporation courts, to
issue licenses; when licenses expire; when no abatement of license.—The
commissioner of every county or district shal] attend at the courthouse
and remain during the first three days of the term of the circuit court
of the county next preceding the first day of May; and commissioners in
cities shall attend the sessions of the corporation courts in March and
April to issue certificates of license in pursuance of the provisions of this
chapter. All licenses shall expire on the thirtieth day of April, except li-
censes to theatres, public shows, exhibitions or other performances, and
to bowling alleys and to billiard and bagatelle tables at watering places.
Licenses to keepers of bowling alleys, billiard tables or pool tables at
watering places may terminate on the thirtieth of April or at the end of
four months, whichever may happen first. If granted for four months
or less the tax thereon shall be fifty per centum of the annual tax.
Licenses to theatres and panoramas shall be for one week or less. Licenses
to public shows, exhibitions or other performances shall be for twenty-
four hours, unless the same be concluded in less time, and if so concluded
the license shall cease. It shall be held to have expired whenever addi-
tional pay is exacted to return to the exhibition or performance in lieu of
a check authorizing the holder to return without compensation. In those
cases wherein the circuit or corporation courts are required to give a
certificate as a prerequisite to obtaining a license, or to give validity to a
license, such certificate may be given at the March or April court next
preceding the first day of May on which such license is to take effect.
Where such license is not for the period of one year, such court may, at
the time, or before granting a license, give such certificate. If any
license be granted for less than a year, the tax thereon shall bear such
proportion to the whole annual tax as the space of time between granting
the same and the thirtieth of April bears to the whole year, unless other-
wise provided ; but there shall be no abatement from the tax on the fol-
lowing licenses, if the same be exercised for less than one year—to-
wit:

First, To keep a stallion or jackass ;

Second, To common criers;

Third, To attorneys at law, physicians, surgeons and dentists ;

Fourth, To manufacture ardent spirits or malt liquors ;

Fifth, To peddlers ;

Sixth, To sample merchants; .

Seventh, For the sale of patent rights:

Eighth, For public rooms for exhibitions ;

Ninth, To daguerrean artists ;

i For the sale of manufactured articles by persons other than mer-
chants. ‘

§ 559. How license assignable, and so forth.—A license may be as-
signed to any person to whom it might have been originally granted, and
in the event of the death of the licensee, the license may be assigned by his
personal representative in like manner, and with the like effect as might
have been done by the licensee himself. If the license was obtained, or
had its validity by reason of a certificate of ariy. court, or of any oath or
bond, the assignment shall not be valid without a like certificate in favor
of the assignee, and a like oath or bond by the assignee, as was required
for the original grant; and when assigned shall be a personal privilege
to the assignee, and shall not be exercised by any person other than the
assignee, unless otherwise authorized by law.

2. This act shall be in force from its passage.