CHAPTER 289

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 18-146, 18-146.1, 18-147 and 18-804 of
the Code of Virginia, relating to the unlawful possession, use, gift
and sale of certain weapons. CH 488]

Approved March 9, 1956

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: .
1. That §§ 18-146, 18-146.1, 18-147 and 18-804 of the Code.of Virginia
be amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 18-146. If any person carry about his person, hid from common
observation, any pistol, dirk, bowie knife, switch-blade knife, razor, slung-
shot, metal knucks, or any weapon of like kind, he shall upon conviction
thereof be fined not less than twenty dollars, nor more than one hundred
dollars and, in the discretion of the court, trial justice, or jury trying the
case, may, in addition thereto, be committed to jail for not more than six
months, and such pistol, dirk, bowie knife, switch-blade knife, razor,
slungshot, metal knucks, or weapon of like kind, shall, by order of the
court, or justice be forfeited to the Commonwealth and may be seized
by any officer as forefeited, and such as may be needed for police officers
and conservators of the peace shall be devoted to that purpose, and the
remainder shall be destroyed by the officer having them in charge.

This section shall not apply to any police officer, sergeant, sheriff,
conservator of the peace, or to carriers of United States mail in the rural
erie or to any collecting officer while in the discharge of his official

uty.
CHS. 289, 290] ACTS OF ASSEMBLY 343

The circuit court of any county in term time, and any corporation
court in term time, upon a written application and satisfactory proof of
the good character and uecessity of the applicant to carry concealed
weapons, may grant permission so to do for one year. The order granting
such permission shall be entered in the law order book of such court.

§ 18-146.1. All pistols, shot guns, rifles, dirks, bowie knives, switch-
blade knives, razors, slungshots, brass or metal knucks, blackjacks and
other weapons used by any person or persons in the commission of a
felony, may, upon conviction of such person or persons so using the same,
be forfeited to the Commonwealth by order of the court trying the case;
and such weapons as may be needed for police officers and conservators
of the peace shall be used for that purpose, and such of them as may not
be needed for such purpose shall either be sold and the proceeds paid
into the Literary Fund, or destroyed by the Commonwealth, as the court
may direct.

§ 18-147. If any person sell or barter, or exhibit for sale or for
barter, or give or furnish, or cause to be sold, bartered, given or furnished,
or has in his possession, or under his control, with the intent of selling,
bartering, giving or furnishing, any blackjack, brass or metal knucks,
switch-blade knife or like weapons, such person shall be fined not less
than twenty-five nor more than one hundred dollars. The having in one’s
possession of any such weapon shall be prima facie evidence, except in
the case of a conservator of the peace, of his intent to sell, barter, give
or furnish the same.

§ 18-304. If any person sell, barter, give or furnish, or cause to be
sold, bartered, given or furnished to any minor under eighteen years of
age a pistol, dirk, switch-blade knife or bowie knife, having good cause to
believe him to be a minor under eighteen years of age, or if any person
sell, barter, give or furnish, or cause to be sold, bartered, given or
furnished to any minor under sixteen years of age cigarettes or tobacco
in any form, having good cause to believe him to be a minor under sixteen
years of age such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be fined
not less than two dollars and fifty cenfs nor more than one hundred

ollars.