Chap. 431.—A RESOLUTION proposing amendment to section 117 of article S
of the Constitution of Virginia, and providing for publishing said amend-
ment and certifying the same to the next general assembly. {S R 6]

Signed February 23, 1918S.

Resolved by the senate and the house of delegates (a majority of
the members elected to each house agreeing thereto), That the follow-
ing amendment to the Constitution of Virginia be, and the same is
hereby, proposed and referred to the general assembly to be chosen
at. the next general election of senators and members of the house
of delegates, for its concurrence, in conformity to the provisions of
section one hundred and ninety-six of article fifteen of said Consti-
tution, namely:

Strike out from the Constitution of Virginia section one hundred
and seventeen, which is in the words and figures following, to-wit :

Section 117. General laws for the organization and government
of cities and towns shall be enacted by the general assembly, and
no special act shall be passed in relation thereto, except in the manner
provided in article four of this Constitution, and then only by a
recorded vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house:
and except also in the case of cities having more than fifty thousand
inhabitants, as hereinafter provided. But each of the cities and
towns of the State having at the time of the adoption of this amend-
ment a municipal charter may retain the same, except so far as it
shal] be repealed or amended by the general assembly ; provided, that
every such charter 1s hereby amended so as to conform to all the
provisions, restrictions, limitations and powers set forth in this
article, or otherwise provided in this Constitution.

Notwithstanding, however, anything in this article contained
the general assembly may, by general law or by special act (passed
as prescribed in article four of this Constitution), depart in any
respect. (except as otherwise in this section expressly provided) from
the form of organization and government prescribed by this article
for cities and towns, and may provide, from time to time, for the
various cities and towns of the Commonwealth such form or forms
of municipal government as the general assembly may deem best:
but no form or forms of government authorized by the second para-
graph of this section shall become operative except as to such cities
or towns as may thereafter adopt the same by a majority vote of its

ualified electors at an election to be held as may be prescribed there-

or by law. All the limitations on the powers of the councils of
cities and towns imposed by this article shall apply in like manner
to the principal legislative authority under any form of government
which may be authorized hereunder. The term “council” as used in
sections one hundred and twenty-five and one hundred and twenty-
seven of this Constitution shall be construed to include the body
which, under any form of municipal government, shall be vested
with the principal legislative authority of such municipality.

The general assembly, for the purpose of this article, may classify
cities according to their population, but the maximum population
prescribed for any class shall exceed the minimum population for
the same class by at least ten thousand. The general assembly, at the
request, made in manner which may be prescribed by law, of any
city having a population of over fifty thousand inhabitants, may
grant a special form of government for such city.

Any laws or charters enacted pursuant to the provisions of this
section shall be subject to the provisions of this Constitution relating
expressly to judges and clerks of courts, attorneys for the Common-
wealth, commissioners of revenue, city treasurer and city sergeants.

And insert in heu thereof the following:

Sec. 117. (a) General laws for the organization and govern-
ment of cities and towns shall be enacted by the general assembly,
and no special act shall be passed in relation thereto, except in the
manner provided in article four of this Constitution, and then only
by a recorded vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each
house. But each of the cities and towns of the State having at the
time of the adoption of this Constitution a municipal charter may
retain the same, except so far as it shall be repealed or amended by
the general assembly; provided, that every such charter is hereby
amended to conform to all the provisions, restrictions, limitations
and powers set forth in this article, or otherwise provided in this
Constitution.

(b) The general assembly may, by general law or by special act
(passed in the manner provided in article four of this Constitution),
provide for the organization and government of cities and towns
without regard to, and unaffected by any of the provisions of this
article, except those of sections one hundred and twenty-four, one
hundred and twenty-five (except so far as the provisions of section
one hundred and twenty-five recognize the office of mayor and the
power of veto), one hundred and twenty-six, one hundred and
twenty-seven and one hundred and twenty-eight of this article, and
except those mentioned in sub-section (d) of this section. The term
“council” as used in any of said sections shall include the body
exercising legislative authority for the city or town, and all ordi-
nances enacted and resolutions adopted by such body shall have
the same force and effect for all purposes, as if enacted or adopted
in accordance with the provisions of section one hundred and
twenty-three of this article. But such organization and government
shall apply only to such cities or towns as may thereafter adopt the
same by a majority vote of those qualified voters of any such city
or town voting in an election to be held for the purpose, as may be
provided by law.

(c) The general assembly, at the request of any city or town,
made in manner provided by law, may grant to it any special form
of organization and government authorized by sub-section (b) of
this section, and subject to all of the provisions of that sub-section,
except that it shall not be necessary for such city or town to there-
after adopt the same.

(d) Any laws or charters enacted pursuant to the provisions of
this section shall be subject to the provisions of this Constitution
relating expressly to judges and clerks of courts, attorneys for the
Commonwealth, commissioners of revenue, city treasurers and city
sergeants. |

(e) Any form of organization and government authorized by
any provision of this section which may have been adopted hereto-
fore by any city or town pursuant to any act of the general assembly
enacted before such provision became effective, and which is now
in operation, is hereby declared legal and valid ab initio, and shall
have the same force and effect as if it had been authorized by this
Constitution at the time of its adoption.