Chap. 68.—An ACT to amend and re-enact sections 17 and 21 of chapter 1 of
an act entitled an act concerning the bureau of insurance. approved
March 98, 1906, as subsequently amended. ([S B 82]

Approved February 21, 1918.

Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sec-
tions seventeen and twenty-one of chapter one of an act entitled
an act concerning the bureau of insurance, approved March ninth.
nineteen hundred and six, as subsequently amended, be amended
and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Section 17. The commissioner of insurance shall keep in his
office, a record of all examinations hereinbefore provided for, and of
all fires occurring in the State, together with all facts, statistics and
circumstances, including the origin of the fires, which may be de-
termined by the investigations provided for in this act. And all
records relating to investigations of fires shall at all times be open
to public inspection, except that when criminal proceedings in anv
case are threatened or pending, the records in such case shall not be
open to public inspection until such criminal proceedings shall have
been finally disposed of.

Sec. 21. If the commissioner of insurance shall be of opinion
after investigation as to the cause or origin of any fire, that there is
sufficient evidence to charge any person with the crime of arson, or
with incendiary burning of property, he shal] cause such person to
be arrested and charged with such offense, and shall furnish to the
Commonwealth’s attorney of the city or county all such evidence.
together with the names of witnesses, and all information obtained
by him, including a copy of all pertinent and material testimony
taken by him touching such offense. The commissioner of insurance.
upon the request of the attorney for the Commonwealth. is author-
ized and empowered, upon approval by the governor, to employ coun-
sel to assist the Commonwealth’s attorney in the prosecution of said
cases or to act for the Commonwealth’s attorney in any case in which
he cannot for any reason appear, the expense therefor to be paid out
of the funds provided for the maintenance of the bureau of in-
surance.