Chap. 20.—An ACT to amend and re-enact sections 1585, 1586, 1587, 1588, 1589.
1590, 1592, 1593 and 1595, and to repeal section 1591 of the Code of Virginia

[H B 12]
Approved February 17, 1922.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sec-
tions fifteen hundred and eighty-five, fifteen hundred and eighty-six.
fifteen hundred and eighty-seven, fifteen hundred and eighty-eight.
fifteen hundred and eighty-nine. fifteen hundred and ninety, fifteen
hundred and ninety-two, fifteen hundred and ninety-three and fifteen
hundred and ninety-five of the Code of Virginia be amended and
re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Section 1585. Definitions—A hotel within the meaning of this
chapter is any inn or public lodging house of more than five bed-
rooms, where transient guest are fed or lodged for pay in this State
A transient guest is one who puts up for less than one week at such
hotel.

Section 1586. Charges posted.—Every hotel shall post in a con-
spicuous place in its office and in its bedrooms a list of its charges
for rooms and meals; and the list posted in each room shall show
specifically the charges for that room, with and without baths ; except,
that hotels operated on the European or a la carte plan shall not be
required to post their charges for meals so served.

Section 1587. Fire escapes and extinguishers.—Every hotel shall
provide each floor with one or more fire extinguishers, to be kept in
working order at all times. In every hotel having fire escapes, con-
spicuous notices shall be kept posted at the entrance to each hall,
stairway, elevator shaft, and in each bedroom above the ground floor.
directions how to reach the fire escapes.

Section 1588. Escape from light well—The owner or proprietor,
manager or person in charge of every hotel now existing or hereafter
constructed with an inside court or light well inclosed on all sides
and with sleeping rooms or lodging apartments, the only windows of
which open upon or into such court or light well, shall provide a
proper escape from such inside court or light well through a room
or rooms or otherwise.

Section 1589. Inspection by the State dairy and food commis-
sioner.—For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter,
the State dairy and food commissioner is authorized and required to
inspect, through his officers and agents, all hotels in the State at least
once every year, and as often thereafter during the year as may be
deemed necessary. He shall see that every part of said hotel and imme-
diate surroundings are sanitary, and that all utensils used in the hotel,
particularly those used in the preparation and serving of food, are
in all respects clean.

Section 1590. Duty of dairy and food commissioner ; certificate
posted ; inspection.—It shall be the duty of the State dairy and food
commissioner to see that all of the provisions of this chapter are
enforced and complied with. If upon inspection of any hotel it shall
be found that this law has been fully complied with, the State dairy
and food commissioner shall issue a certificate to that effect to the
person operating the same, and such certificate shall be kept posted
in plain view in some conspicuous place in said hotel. The inspectors
of the dairy and food commissioner are empowered and authorized
to enter any hotel at all reasonable hours to make such inspection,
and it is made the duty of every person in the management or control
of such hotel to afford free access to. every part of the hotel, and
render all aid and assistance necessary to enable the inspector to make
a full, thorough and complete examination thereof; but no inspector
shall violate the privacy of any guest in said rooms without his con-
seni.

Section 1592. Commissioner must notify owners, et cetera, of
a hotel that it fails to comply with the law.—It shall be the duty of
the State dairy and food commissioner, upon ascertaining by inspec-
tion or otherwise that any hotel is being carried on contrary to any
of the provisions of this chapter, to notify the manager, or proprietor,
in writing, in what respect it fails to comply with the law, and re-
quiring such person, within a reasonable time, to be fixed by the said
dairy and food commissioner, to do or cause to be done the things
necessary to make it comply with the law, whereupon such proprietor
or manager shall forthwith comply with such requirements.

Section 1593. Obstructing an inspector; punishment.—Any
owner, manager, agent or person in charge of a hotel, or any other
person who shall willfully obstruct, hinder or interfere with an in-
spector in the proper discharge of his duty, or who shall willfully
fail or neglect to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter
after notice as aforesaid, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor; and upon
conviction thereof be fined not exceeding one hundred dollars. If,
upon a return visit of inspection to a hotel that has previously failed
to comply with the law and has received one notice thereof, the in-
spector shall find that the law is still being violated, he shall without
further notice prosecute the proprietor, manager or person in charge.
In addition thereto, he may in his discretion, order the hotel closed
for such length of time as may be necessary to put same in sanitary
condition.

Section 1595. Hotel to be kept clean; receptacles of water to be
protected.—The proprietor of every hotel shall keep the same clean
and in a sanitary condition, and all wells, pumps, cisterns, tanks and
other sources or receptacles from which water is taken to be drunk
by the guests, shall be effectually protected against human, animal
or insect contamination.

2. Section fifteen hundred and ninety-one of the Code of Virginia
is hereby repealed. )