CHAPTER 37

An Act to create a legislative committee of the House and Senate to in-
vestigate and hold hearings relative to the activities of corporations,
associations, organizations and other groups which encourage and pro-
mote litigation relating to racial activities; to provide for the organi-
zation, powers and duties of said committee; to provide for hearings;
to authorize said committee to issue subpoenas and require testimony;
to provide for application to court for an order requiring any person
to appear and testify who fails or refuses to do so; to provide for wit-
ness fees; to provide for employment of a clerical and investigative
force by the committee; to provide for payment of expenses; to appro-
priate funds for use of the committee; to provide that the Attorney
General or other legal counsel shall represent said committee; and
for other purposes.

{H 65]

Approved September 29, 1956

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. There is hereby created a Legislative Committee, to be com-
posed of six members of the House appointed by the Speaker thereof, and
four members of the Senate appointed by the President thereof.

§ 2. The Committee is authorized to make a thorough investigation
of the activities of corporations, organizations, associations and other like
groups which seek to influence, encourage or promote litigation relating
to racial activities in this State. The Committee shall conduct its investi-
gation so as to collect evidence and information which shall be necessary
or useful in

(1) determining the need, or lack of need, for legislation which
would assist in the investigation of such organizations, corporations and
associations relative to the State income tax laws; oo,

(2) determining the need, or lack of need, for legislation redefining
the taxable status of such corporations, associations, organizations and
other groups, as above referred to, and further defining the status of
donations to such organizations or corporations from a taxation stand-
point; and

(3) determining the effect which integration or the threat of integra-
tion could have on the operation of the public schools in the State or the
general welfare of the State and whether the laws of barratry, champerty
and maintenance are being violated in connection therewith.

§ 3. Said Committee may hold hearings anywhere in the State, and
shall have authority to issue subpoenas, which may be served by any
sheriff or city sergeant of this State, or any agent or investigator of the
Committee, and his return shown thereon, requiring the attendance of
witnesses and the production of papers, records and other documents. If
any person, firm, corporation, association or organization which fails to
appear in response to any such subpoena as therein required, or any person
who fails or refuses, without legal cause, to answer any question pro-
pounded to him, then upon the application by the Chairman, or any
member of the Committee acting at his direction, to the circuit or cor-
poration court in the county or city wherein such person resides or may
be found, such court shall issue an order directing such person to appear
and testify. The Committee may, at its option, compel attendance of wit-
nesses or production of documents by motion made before the circuit or
corporation court having jurisdiction of the person or documents whose
attendance or production is sought. The court upon such motion shall issue -
such subpoenas, writs, processes or orders as the court deems necessary.
The Chairman of the Committee, or anyone acting at his direction, shall
be authorized to administer oaths to all witnesses and to issue subpoenas.
Every witness appearing pursuant to subpoena shall be entitled to receive,
upon request, the same tee as is provided by law for witnesses in the
courts of record in the State, and where the attendance of witnesses re-
siding outside the county or city wherein the hearing is held is required,
they shall be entitled to receive the sum of seven dollars after so appear-
ing, upon certification thereof by the Chairman to the State Comptroller.

§ 4. Each member of the Committee shall receive, in addition to
actual travel expenses, the same per diem as received by members of other
legislative committees, while engaged in official duties as a member of
said Committee.

§ 5. Said Committee shall be authorized to employ a clerical force
and such investigators and other personnel as it may deem necessary to
carry out the provisions of this act, and may expend moneys for the pro-
curing of information from other sources.

§ 6. The Attorney General shall assist the Committee upon request,
and the Committee may engage such other legal counsel as it shall deem
necessary.

§ 7. The Committee shall complete its investigations and make its
report, together with any recommendations as to legislation, to the Gover-
nor and the General Assembly not later than November one, nineteen
hundred fifty-seven.

2. There is hereby appropriated from the general fund of the State
oariny me sum of twenty-five thousand dollars to carry out the purposes
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