Chap. 314.—An ACT to amend the Code of Virginia by adding thereto a new section
numbered 374-b, to authorize the Attorney General to investigate complaints of
violations of Chapter 441 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 1938, approved
April 1, 1938, and therein designated as the “Unfair Sales Act”, or cause such
complaints to be investigated ; to provide for instituting and conducting proceed-
ings against violators; and to provide for publishing and circulating the pro-
visions of said Act, and the Attorney General’s interpretation thereof. [S B 147]

Approved March 30, 1942

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That the
Code of Virginia be amended by adding thereto a new section numbered
three hundred and seventy-four-b, as follows:

Section 374-b. Upon complaint of any violation of chapter four
hundred and forty-one of the Acts of the General Assembly of nineteen
hundred and thirty-eight, approved April first, nineteen hundred and
thirty-eight, and therein designated as the “Unfair Sales Act’’, made to
the Attorney General by any association of wholesalers or retailers, in-
corporated under the laws of the State of Virginia and recognized by the
Attorney General as fairly representative of the wholesale or retail mer-
chants of the State interested in said complaint, the Attorney-General may
investigate such complaint or cause such complaint to be investigated
provided the cost of such investigation is borne by the complainant.

If it appears from such investigation and report thereof that any pro-
vision of said Act has been violated, the Attorney General may report the
result of the investigation to the Attorney for the Commonwealth of the
proper county or corporation who is hereby authorized to institute and
conduct in the appropriate court, such proceedings against the violator,
as said Attorney for the Commonwealth may deem proper, or such pro-
ceedings may be instituted and conducted by the Attorney General, pro-
vided that all costs of any such proceeding, not properly taxable against
the violator, shall be paid by the complainant.

The Attorney General may also, at the instance of any such associa-
tion of wholesalers or retailers, and with the view to avoid or reduce
violations of said Act, cause to be published and circulated in such man-
ner and to such extent as he may deem proper, the provisions of said Act
and his interpretation and construction thereof, provided the cost thereof
is paid by the association requesting such publication and circulation.