Chap. 80.—An ACT providing that any county or city of this State may pay
a monthly allowance to indigent, widowed mothers for the partial support
of their children in their own homes. [H B 64]

Approved February 28, 1918.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That any
widow who ts the mother of a child or children under the age of
sixteen years and who is unable to support them and to maintain
her home, may present a petition for assistance to the board of super-
visors of the county or to the council or other governing body of the
city wherein she resides. Such petition shall be verified and shall
set forth the following:

(a) Her name, the date of the death of her husband, the names
of her children, and the.dates and places of their birth and the
time and place of her marriage.

(b) Hier residence and the length of time that she has been a
resident of the State, the length of time she has lived at said resi-
dence and the address or addresses of her place or places of abode for
the previous five years, and the date, as near as possible, when she
moved in and when she left said place or places of residence.

(c) A statement of all the property belonging to her and to
each of her children, which statement shall include any future or
contingent interest which she or any of them may have.
(d) <A statement of the efforts made by her to support her
children. |

(e) The name, relationships and addresses of all her husband’s
relatives, that may be known.

(f) The names, sex and age of each of her children, giving date
and place of birth of same.

2. <A copy of the petition provided for as above and a notice of
the time and place when it will be presented to the board of super-
visors of the county or the council or other governing body of the
city, as the case may be, must be served on or mailed to the clerk of
the board, council or other governing body at least five days before
the time said petition is to be considered. Upon the return of the
petition and notice all persons desiring to be heard shall be examined
under oath, and subpoenas may be issued for the attendance of
witnesses and the hearing may be adjourned from day to day; and
the matter may be referred to a commissioner or a committee to be
appointed to hear such witnesses. Said commissioners or committee
shall make a report setting forth the facts proven.

3. If, upon the completion of the examination provided for
under section two hereof, 1t is apparent that, unless relief is granted,
the mother will be unable to properly support and educate her
children, and that they may become a public charge, an order may
be made or an ordinance or resolution adopted directing that there
shall be paid to the mother, monthly, out of the county or city
funds, the following amounts, for the maintenance and support of
the children under sixteen years old; not more than twelve dollars
for one such child; eighteen dollars for two children; and four dol-
lars per month additional for each additional child; and it is pro-
vided further that said allowance or relief shall be discontinued
after said child or any of said children as mentioned in section one
of this act has reached the age of sixteen years; the mother remarries,
or other cause rendering the assistance here provided unnecessary.

4. It shall be the duty of the attorney for the Commonwealth
of such county or city to see that any widow receiving an allowance
as provided under this act is properly caring for her children, that
they are sufficiently clothed and fed, and when it is found that she
is not properly caring for her child or children, or that she is an
improper guardian for such child or children, or that she no longer
needs such support as is afforded by said allowance, the said order,
ordinance or resolution shall be revoked or repealed, and any order
made pursuant to this act shall be cancelled at any time with or
without notice, and in lieu thereof any other order, ordinance or
resolution that may protect the welfare of the child or children may
be made or adopted. All refusals of applications for allowance
under this act shall be final and not subject to review by any court.

5. .No widow shall be entitled to receive allowances under the
terms of this act. unless she has been a bona fide resident of the State
of Virginia for three years, and the county or city in which she
makes her application for at least two years.