Chap. 58.—An ACT authorizing the purchase by the Commonwealth of the
land, with the building thereon, at the northeast corner of Main and Twelfth
streets, in the city of Richmond, for uses as an office building, and the
transfer of the division of motor vehicles thereto; and the repair and assign-
ment of the offices vacated in the capitol, and making appropriations therefor,
and for the purchase of the property within the limits of the capitol
square known as the Davis property, in accordance with the option given
thereon, and to make appropriation therefor. [H B 113]

Approved February 27, 1930

Whereas, in pursuance of resolution agreed to on January four-
teenth, nineteen hundred and thirty, a committee was appointed to con-
sider and report upon the necessities of the general assembly in the
matter of committee rooms and other purposes, and,

Whereas, this committee filed its report with the house and senate,
stating that there are not sufficient available places suitable for the uses
of the committees of the general assembly; and,

Whereas, this committee, after a careful investigation of the avail-
able places for the use of the present occupants of the capitol build-
ing, reported and recommended that the building at the northeast cor-
ner of Twelfth and Main streets, formerly occupied by the Planter:
National Bank and now owned by the State and City Building Cor-
poration, would provide adequate quarters for the division of motot
vehicles and other purposes, and recommended that the Commonwealtt
acquire this property at the price of one hundred and fifty thousanc
dollars, in pursuance of an option given the committee on January
thirtieth, nineteen hundred and thirty ; now, therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the
governor and the attorney general be authorized to accept the optior
given by the State and City Building Corporation to J. P. Jones
chairman of the special legislative committee referred to, and the sup:
plemental explanatory option of February third, nineteen hundred anc
thirty, at the price of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the
said property, together with all vaults and fixtures therein.

Z. The attorney general is authorized to employ a competent attor-
ney to examine the title to said property whose abstract he shall ap-
prove. The attorney general shall also approve the deed presented
for the building and, when so approved, close the transaction, accept
the conveyance thereof, and see that the deed of conveyance is properly
admitted to record. For the purpose of paying for the examination of
the title, a sufficient sum is hereby appropriated out of any monies in
the treasury not otherwise appropriated, the same to be paid by the
treasurer on the warrant of the comptroller, upon the proper voucher
or vouchers required by the comptroller, approved by the attorney
general.

3. Upon the acceptance of the deed to the property in pursuance
of the option given, the comptroller shall draw a warrant, upon the
treasurer in favor of the State and City Building Corporation, for
the sum of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, payable out of the
automobile license fund, this property being bought, primarily, for the
uses of the division of motor vehicles, the department which raises
the automobile fund.

4. When possession of the property shall have been given to the
Commonwealth, the governor shall cause to be removed thereto the
division of motor vehicles and all files, fixtures and furniture in con-
nection therewith, and shall assign such space in said building as may
be necessary for the use of the division of motor vehicles.

5. Any space remaining in said building at Twelfth and Main
streets after the installation of the division of motor vehicles shall be
assigned to such other uses as the governor may direct.

6. A committee, composed of the governor, lieutenant governor
and speaker of the house, is, hereby, appointed to assign the space in the
capitol building vacated by the division of motor vehicles for the
uses of the general assembly, certain portions for the use of the house
of delegates, and certain portions for the use of the senate, and when
so assigned the superintendent of grounds and buildings is directed to
put in proper condition for the use of the general assembly the said
space in such manner as may be directed by the governor, the lieu-
enant governor and the speaker of the house of delegates.

7. The space so assigned for the use of the senate and the house
yt delegates shall be under the control of the respective bodies, when
in session, and, under the governor in the vacation of the general
assembly; provided, that all office space in the capitol building. not
used by the governor, secretary of the commonwealth, the public
printer, the legislative reference bureau and the clerks of the two houses
of the general assembly, is hereby set aside for uses of the general
assembly and shall not be otherwise assigned or used.

8. For the purpose of renovating, repairing and placing in proper
condition for occupancy by the general assembly, the space hereinbefore
referred to, and for the proper furnishing of the same, there is hereby
appropriated the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars out of
any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be expended
under the direction of the governor by the superintendent of public
buildings.

9. For the purpose of renovating, repairing and placing in proper
condition for occupancy by the division of motor vehicles and other
departments of government which may be assigned to said building,
the comptroller shall draw warrants upon the order of the director
of the division of motor vehicles, in favor of those entitled thereto
for sums in the aggregate not exceeding the sum of seven thousand
five hundred dollars, payable out of the automobile license fund.

10. And be it further enacted that the governor and the attorney
general be authorized to accept the option given by Mrs. Jennie P.
Harrington on January, twenty-fourth, nineteen hundred and _ thirty,
and transmitted by the governor to the general assembly on January
twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred and thirty, for that “certain lot or
parcel of land, together with the improvements thereon, in the city
of Richmond, Virginia, at the northwest corner of Governor and Frank-
lin streets, fronting on Governor street sixty-two feet and on Franklin
street one hundred and twenty-two feet; bounded on the east by Gov-
ernor street and on the south by Franklin street, and on the north
and west by the capitol square, the lot hereinabove described being
locally known as the ‘Davis house,’” at the price of thirty-nine thou-
sand dollars, in cash.

11. The attorney general is authorized to employ a competent
attorney to examine the title to said property, whose abstract he shall
approve. The attorney general shall also approve the deed presented
for the property and when so approved close the transaction and accept
the conveyance and see that the deed of conveyance is properly ad-
mitted to record. For the purpose of paying for the examination of
title, a sufficient sum is hereby appropriated out of any monies in the
treasury not otherwise appropriated, the same to be paid by the treas-
urer on the warrant of the comptroller, upon proper voucher or vouchers,
approved by the attorney general.

12. Upon the acceptance of the deed to the property in pursuance
of the option given, the comptroller shall draw a warrant, upon the
treasurer, in favor of the said Jennie P. Harrington, for the sum of
thirty-nine thousand dollars, payable out of any money in the treasury
not otherwise appropriated.
13. The governor may, in his discretion, raze the Davis buildin;
if the same is by him deemed a fire hazard.

14. Because of expiration of options, an emergency is declared t
exist, and this act shall be in force from its passage.