CHAPTER 99

An Act to amend and reenact § 15-508 of the Code of Virginia, relating
to interest of certain officials in contracts with or claims against

cities or towns.
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 15-508 of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted
as follows: ; .

§ 15-508. City or town officials not to have interest in contract
with, or claim against, city or town.—No member of the council, board of
aldermen or member of the school board, or any other officer, or agent,
or any commissioner appointed for the opening of streets, or any other
member of a committee constituted or appointed for the management,
regulation or control of corporate property of any city or town, or con-
stable, policeman, commissioner of the revenue, treasurer, attorney for
the Commonwealth, clerk of the court, civil or police justice, sheriff,
sergeant, superintendent of the poor or any other paid officer of any city
or town, during the term for which they are elected or appointed, shall
be a contractor or subcontractor, with the corporation, or its agents, or
with such committee, nor shall they be interested, directly or indirectly,
in any contract, subcontract, or job of work, or materials, or the profits
or contract price thereof, or any services to be performed for the city,
or town, for pay under any contract or subcontract; and no such council-
man, officer or employee shall be interested, directly or indirectly in any
contract, subcontract, or job of work, or materials or the profits or the
contract price thereof, or services to be furnished or performed for the
city or town for pay under any contract or subcontract; nor as agent
for such contractor or subcontractor, or other person furnishing any
supplies or materials. Every such contract or subcontract shall be void,
and the officer, councilman, agent, or member of such committee making
such contract shall forfeit to the Commonwealth the full amount stipulated
for thereby.

No officer of a city or town, who alone or with others is charged with
the duty of auditing, settling or providing, by levy or otherwise, for the
payment of claims against such city or town, shall, by contract, directly
or indirectly, become the owner of or interested in any claim against
such city or town. Every such contract or subcontract shall be void, and
if any such claim be paid, the amount paid, with interest, may be re-
covered back by the city or town, within two years after payment, by
action or motion in the circuit or corporation court having jurisdiction
over such city or town.

_ . The term “contract” as used in this section shall not be held to

include the depositing of city or town funds in, or the borrowing of funds

from, local banks in which councilmen or other officer of the city or town

may be a director or officer or have a stock interest; nor shall it include the

pent of franchises to or purchase of services from public service corpo-
ons.

This section shall not apply to attorneys for the Commonwealth
employed by the governing bodies of cities under the provisions of §§
58-762, 58-1016 or 58-1102 to collect taxes which are a lien on real estate.