CHAPTER 211

An Act to amend and reenact §§ $8-255.41 and 88-255.68 of the Code of
Virginia, relating to certain miscellaneous provisions concerning, re-
spectively, the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike Authority, and the Old
Dominion Turnpike Authority, so as to eliminate the requirement for
these Authorities to make an annual report to the General Assembly.

[H 495]
Approved March 2, 1956

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 33-255.41 and 33-255.63 of the Code of Virginia be amended
and reenacted as follows:

§ 33-255.41. (a) The project, when constructed and opened to traf-
fic, shall be maintained and kept in good condition and repair by the
Authority, and shall be operated by such tolltakers and other operating
employees as the Authority may employ. The project shall be policed by
such number of officers of the Department of State Police as shall be
mutually agreed to from time to time by the Superintendent of State
Police and the Authority. Such officers shall be under the exclusive control
and direction of the Superintendent of State Police and shall be responsible
to him exclusively, for the performance of their duties and the exercise of
their powers. The Authority shall reimburse the Commonwealth .at such
time or times as shall be required by the Superintendent the compensation
_paid to such officers by the Commonwealth and other costs and expenses
incurred in performing such functions, and the monies so reimbursed shall
be used by the Department of State Police without other appropriation for
the purpose of offsetting the expenses so incurred. Such expenses shall
constitute a part of the cost of maintaining and operating the project.
Such officers shall be responsible for the preservation of the public peace,
prevention of crime, apprehension of criminals, protection of the rights
of persons and property, and enforcement of the laws of the Common-
wealth and all rules and regulations made in accordance therewith, within
the limits of the right of way of the project, and all rules and regulations
established by the Authority pursuant to paragraph (e) of § 33-255.28 of
this article, and such officers shall have all the rights and duties of police
Officers as provided by the general laws of the Commonwealth within the
limits of such right of way and such areas. The violation of any such rule
or regulation shall be punishable as follows: If such a violation would
have been a violation of law if committed on any public road, street or
highway in the county, city or town in which such violation occurred, it
shall be punishable in the same manner as if it had been committed on
such public road, street or highway; otherwise it shall be punishable as a
216 ACTS OF ASSEMBLY [vA., 1956

misdemeanor. All other police officers of the Commonwealth and of each
county, city, town or other political subdivision of the Commonwealth
through which the project extends shall have the same powers and juris-
diction within the limits of such right of way and areas as they have
beyond such limits and shall have access to the project, right of way and
areas at any and all times without interference for the purpose of exer-
cising such powers and jurisdiction. For the purpose of enforcing such
laws, rules and regulations the court or courts having jurisdiction for the
trial of criminal offenses of the municipality, county or other political
subdivision within whose boundaries any crime is committed shall have
jurisdiction to try any person charged with the violation of any such laws,
rules and regulations within such boundaries. .

(b) All actions at law and suits in equity and other proceedings,
actions and suits against the Authority, or any other person, firm or
corporation, growing out of the construction, maintenance, repair, opera-
tion and use of the project, or growing out of any other circumstances,
events or causes in connection therewith, shall be brought and conducted
in the court or courts having jurisdiction of such actions, suits and pro-
ceedings in the municipalities, counties or other political subdivisions
within whose boundaries the causes of such actions, suits and proceedings
arise, and jurisdiction is hereby conferred on such court or courts for the
purpose, All such actions, suits and proceedings on behalf of the Authority
shall be brought and conducted in the Circuit Court of the city of Rich-
mond, except as herein otherwise provided, and exclusive jurisdiction is
hereby conferred on such court for the purpose. Eminent domain proceed-
ings instituted and conducted by the Authority shall be brought and con-
ducted in the court or courts having jurisdiction of such proceedings in the
municipality, county or other political subdivision within whose boundaries
the land or other property to be so acquired or the major portion thereof
is situated, and jurisdiction is hereby conferred on such courts for such
purpose.

(c) All private property damaged or destroyed in carrying out the
powers granted by this article shall be restored or repaired and placed in
its original condition as nearly as practicable or just compensation shall
be paid therefor out of funds provided under the provisions of this article.

(d) On or before the thirtieth day of January in each year, the
Authority shall make an annual report of its activities for the preceding
calendar year to the Governor * and the municipalities, counties and other
political subdivisions through which the project is constructed. Each such
report shall set forth a complete operating and financial statement covering
the Authority’s operations during the year, including the classes of
employees and the compensation paid to them. The Authority shall cause
an audit of its books and accounts to be made at least once in each year
by certified public accountants and the cost thereof shall be treated as a
part of the cost of construction and operation of the project.

(e) The records, books and accounts of the Authority shall be subject
to examination and inspection by duly authorized representatives of the
Governor, the State Highway Commission, the governing bodies of the
municipalities, counties or other political subdivisions through which the
project is constructed and any bondholder or bondholders at any reason-
able time, provided the business of the Authority is not unduly interrupted
or interfered with thereby.

(f) Any member, agent or employee of the Authority who contracts
with the Authority or is interested, either directly or indirectly, in any
contract with the Authority or in the sale of any property, either real or
personal, to the Authority shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be
subject to a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or * imprisonment
in jail for not more than one year, either or both. Exclusive jurisdiction
CH. 211] ACTS OF ASSEMBLY 217

for the trial of such misdemeanors is hereby conferred upon the Hustings
Court of the city of Richmond.

§ 38-255.63. (a) The project, when constructed and opened to traf-
fic, shall be maintained and kept in good condition and repair by the
Authority, and shall be operated by such tolltakers and other operating
employees as the Authority may employ. There is hereby conferred upon
the Authority power to police the project and the Authority is authorized
to exercise such power either by the employment of such force of police
as it may deem necessary or by arranging for the policing of the project
by such number of officers of the Department of State Police as may be
mutually agreed upon from time to time by the Superintendent of State
Police and the Authority. Such officers shall be under the exclusive control
and direction of the Superintendent of State Police and shall be responsible
to him exclusively, for the performance of their duties and the exercise
of their powers. The Authority shall reimburse the Commonwealth at such
time or times as shall be required by the Superintendent the compensation
paid to such officers by the Commonwealth, and other costs and expenses
incurred in performing such functions, which shall constitute a part of the
cost of maintaining and operating the project. The money so reimbursed
shall be used by the Department of State Police, without other appropria-
tions, for the purpose of offsetting expenses so incurred. Such officers shall
be responsible for the preservation of the public peace, prevention of
crime, apprehension of criminals, protection of the rights of persons and
property, and enforcement of the laws of the Commonwealth and all rules
and regulations made in accordance therewith, within the limits of the
right of way of the project, and all rules and regulations established by
the Authority pursuant to paragraph (e) of § 33-255.49, of this article,
and such officers shall have all the rights and duties of police officers as
provided by the general laws of the Commonwealth within the limits of
such right of way and such areas. The violation of any such rule or regula-
tion shall be punishable as follows: If such a violation would have been a
violation of law if committed on any public road, street or highway in the
county, city or town in which such violation occurred, it shall be punish-
able in the same manner as if it had been committed on such public road,
street or highway; otherwise it shall be punishable as a misdemeanor. All
other police officers of the Commonwealth and of each political subdivision
of the Commonwealth through which the project extends shall have the
same powers and jurisdiction within the limits of such right of way and
areas as they have beyond such limits and shall have access to the project,
right of way and areas at any and all times without interference for the
purpose of exercising such powers and jurisdiction. For the purpose of
enforcing such laws, rules and regulations the court or courts having
jurisdiction for the trial of criminal -offenses of the political subdivision
within whose boundaries any crime is committed shall have jurisdiction
to try any person charged with the * violation of any such laws, rules and
regulations within such boundaries.

(b) All actions at law and suits in equity and other proceedings,
actions and suits against the Authority, or any other person, firm or
corporation, growing out of the construction, maintenance, repair, opera-
tion and use of the project, or growing out of any other circumstanees,
events or causes in connection therewith, shall be brought and conducted
in the court or courts having jurisdiction of such actions, suits and pro-
ceedings in the political subdivisions within whose boundaries the causes
of such actions, suits and proceedings arise, and jurisdiction is hereby con-
ferred on such court or courts for the purpose. All such actions, suits and
proceedings on behalf of the Authority shall be brought and conducted in
the Circuit Court of the city of Richmond, except as herein otherwise pro-
vided, and exclusive jurisdiction is hereby conferred on such court for the
purpose. Eminent domain proceedings instituted and conducted by the
Authority shall be brought and conducted in the court or courts having
jurisdiction of such proceedings in the political subdivision within whose
boundaries the land or other property to be so acquired or the major
portion thereof is situated, and jurisdiction is hereby conferred on such
courts for such purpose.

(c) All private property damaged or destroyed in carrying out the
powers granted by this article shall be restored or repaired and placed in
its original condition as nearly as practicable or just compensation shall
be paid therefor out of funds provided under the provisions of this article.

(d) On or before the thirtieth day of January in each year, the
Authority shall make an annual report of its activities for the preceding
calendar year to the Governor * and the political subdivisions through
which the project is constructed. Each such report shall set forth a com-
plete operating and financial statement covering the Authority’s operations
during the year, including the classes of employees and the compensation
paid to them. The Authority shall cause an audit of its books and accounts
to be made at least once in each year by certified public accountants and
the cost thereof shall be treated as a part of the cost of construction and
operation of the project.

(e) The records, books and accounts of the Authority shall be subject
to examination and inspection by duly authorized representatives of the
Governor, the State Highway Commission, the governing bodies of the
political subdivisions through which the project is constructed and any
bondholder or bondholders at any reasonable time, provided the business
of the Authority is not unduly interrupted or interfered with thereby.

(f) Any member, agent or employee of the Authority who contracts,
with the Authority or is interested, either directly or indirectly, in any
contract with the Authority or in the sale of any property, either real or
personal, to the Authority shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be
subject to a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or * imprisonment
in jail for not more than one year, either or both. Exclusive jurisdiction
for the trial of such misdemeanors is hereby conferred upon the Hustings
Court of the city of Richmond.