Chap. 354.—An ACT to amend section 14, chapter 3, of charter of the city of
Portsmouth, so as to authorize the city clerk to qualify members elected
to the city council, approved March 10th, 1908. (S. B. 419.)

Approved March 27, 1914.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
section fourteen, chapter three, of the charter of the city of Ports-
mouth, be amended so as to read as hereinafter follows:

Sec. 14. The mayor and the members of the city council, be-
fore entering upon the duties of their respective offices, shall be re-
spectively sworn in, in accordance with the laws of this State. Such
oaths may be administered to the mayor-elect by any judge of a
court of record commissioned to hold any such court within the said
city, either in term or in vacation; and the members of the city
council by the mayor, being himself first sworn as aforesaid by the
judge of any court of record as aforesaid, or by the city clerk;
and a certificate of such oaths having been respectively taken, shall
be filed with the city clerk, and entered upon the journal of the
city council. Every other person elected or appointed to any of-
fice under this act, or any law or ordinance of the city council, shall,
before he enters upon the duties of said office, take and subscribe
said oath and such other oaths as may be required by law or ordi-
nance, before the mayor or city-clerk, the said city clerk having him-
self been first sworn in by the mayor or a judge of a court of record
as aforesaid; and a certificate of the same shall be filed in the office
of the said city clerk. If any person elected or appointed to any
office in said city shall neglect to take such oath for thirty days,
after receiving notice of his election or appointment, or shall neg-
lect. to give bond with securities as may be required of him by this
act, or by the city council, as hereinafter provided, or as may be
hereafter required by law or ordinance, on or before the day on
which his term begins, he shall be considered as having declined such
office, and the same shall be deemed vacant; and whenever such va-
cancy shall occur, another election shall be ordered, or another ap-
pointment made according to the directions of this act.