Chap. 309.—An ACT to require the insnection and supervision of the State
board of charities and corrections of persons or corporations placing
children in family homes; said persons or corporations to furnish in-
formation; the State board of charities and corrections to visit and
report upon the children placed in homes; authorizing the courts to
commit destitute and delinquent children to the State board of char-
ities and corrections, and said board to place said children in homes or
reformatories to report to the court under certain contingencies; pen-
alties prescribed.

Approved March 14, 1912.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the State board of charities and corrections, through any mem-
ber, officer, or duly authorized agent of said board, is hereby
authorized to visit and investigate, in its discretion, any child
under the age of sixteen years, not legally adopted, placed out
in this State, in accordance with the provisions of this act.

2. Any person or corporation engaged in the work of placing
children in family homes is hereby required to furnish the State
board of charities and corrections or its committee, secretary,
assistant secretary, or other agents of the board, full and free
access to all departments of its work and to all its records for the
purpose of this act.

3. All institutions, individuals or courts placing children in
homes in this State, either permanently or on trial for adoption,
shall, upon placing such children, immediately notify the State
board of charities and corrections, giving name of child, place of
birth, age and physical condition of such child; names, ages,
mental condition, postoffice address of parents or guardians;
name of physician making physical examination and name and
address of institution or person to which child has been com-
mitted.

4. Any child adjudged a dependent, a wayward, or a delin-
quent child by any court in this State may, with the consent of
the State board of charities and corrections, be placed by the
judge or justice of said court in the custody of the State board
of charities and corrections, and the said board is authorized to
place such child in a selected family home or in an institution
for the care and training of destitute children, as the said board
may deem best for the interest of said child, until the said child
shall arrive at the age of twenty-one years.

5. The State board of charities and corrections is hereby
authorized and directed to visit, at its discretion, children paroled
by the reformatories and to keep in its office a record of children
thus paroled and visited. The reformatories are required to
report to the State board of charities and corrections all children
paroled by them, giving name, color, age of child, date of parole,
and name and postoffice address of persons to whom such child
is paroled.

6. Whenever the State board of charities and corrections
shall decide by the affirmative vote of a majority of its members
that any person or corporation has placed in family homes, child-
ren for the purpose of gain, or without due inquiry as to the
character and reputation of the persons with whom such children
are placed, and with the result that such children are subjected
to cruel or improper treatment, or neglected or subjected to im-
moral influences, the State board of charities and corrections
shall report the same to the judge of the circuit court in whose
jurisdiction the said child has been placed, and the said court
shall have power to punish said person or corporation as herein-
after prescribed.
7. Any person or corporation who shall wilfully violate any
of the provisions of this act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor,
and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not
less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars
for each offense.

8. All acts and parts of acts in conflict with this act are
hereby repealed.

9. A public emergency demanding the same on account of the
necessity existing in regard to the proper care of destitute child-
ren, this act shall be in force from its passage.