CHAPTER 57

An Act to authorize certain localities to raise sums of money by a tax on
property, subject to local taxation, to be expended by local school
authorities for educational purposes including cost of transportation,
and to impose penalties for violations. H 3]

[

Approved September 29, 1956

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. § 1. In any county or city wherein no levy is laid or appropriation
made for operation of the public schools, the governing body of such
county or city is hereby authorized to provide for the levy and collection
of such educational taxes as in its judgment the public welfare may require.
Such levy shall be on property, subject to local taxation, not to exceed in
the aggregate in any one year, the rate fixed by § 22-126 of the Code, as
amended.

§ 2. In lieu of making such levy, the governing body of any such
county or city may, in its discretion, make an appropriation for educational
purposes from funds derived from the general county or city levy of an
amount not more than the maximum amount which would result from the
laying of the educational levy authorized by § 1 hereof. In addition to
this, the governing body of any such county or city may appropriate from
any funds available, such sums as in its judgment may be necessary or
expedient for educational purposes.

§ 3. In any town wherein no levy is laid or appropriation made for
cperation of the public schools, if the same be a separate school district
approved for operation, the governing body thereof is hereby authorized
to provide for the levy and collection of such additional educational taxes
on all the property in the town subject to local taxation at such rate as it
may deem proper, but in no event more than one dollar on the one hundred
dollars of the assessed value of property in the town subject to taxation
by the local town authorities. In lieu of such levy, the governing body may
make an appropriation out of the general town levy and from any other
source, of such sums as in its judgment may be deemed necessary or
expedient for educational purposes.

§ 4. Any town wherein no levy is laid or appropriation made for
operation of the public schools, if the same be a separate school district
approved for operation, shall be entitled to its share of school funds as
distributed under § 22-141 of the Code, as amended, and is hereby au-
thorized and required to expend same for educational purposes, as pro-
vided in § 7 of this act.

§ 5. If any town constitutes a separate town school district approved
for operation and any county in which it is located does not lay a levy
or make an appropriation for operation of the public schools, the governing
body of such town may impose such additional town school levy on locally
taxable property, not exceeding three dollars on the one hundred dollars
of the assessed value of the property in any one year, as in its discretion
is required. If the county imposes a levy or makes appropriations for edu-
cational purposes the town school district shall receive its share of such
funds in the same manner as provided in § 22-141 of the Code, as amended,
ad ie distribution of school funds, to be expended as the town school board.

irects.

§ 6. The procedure to be followed by school officials and local tax-
levying bodies for obtaining the educational funds provided for in this
act shall, except insofar as altered herein, be mutatis mutandis the same
as prescribed by law for the raising of funds for public school purposes.

§ 7. The educational funds raised or appropriated under §§ 1, 2, 8,
and 4 hereof, or otherwise made available, shall be expended by the school
board in payment of grants for the furtherance of the elementary or
secondary education, as the case may be, of the children of such county,
city or town in nonsectarian private schools. The local school board
may by rules and regulations provide for the cancellation or revocation
of any such grant which the board finds was not obtained in good faith;
provided, that the action of the board in cancelling or revoking any grant
shall be subject to review by bill of complaint against the school board
to the circuit or corporation court having equity jurisdiction.

§ 8. School boards may provide transportation for those pupils
qualifying for such grants, and in such event, shall be entitled to reim-
bursement out of State funds to the same extent as counties and cities are
reimbursed for costs expended for transportation of pupils to and from
the public schools.

§ 9. It shall be unlawful for any person to obtain, seek to obtain,
expend, or seek to expend, any tuition or transportation grant for
purpose other than the education or transportation of the child for whi
such grant is sought or obtained. Violation hereof shall, except for offenses
punishable under § 18-237 of the Code, constitute a misdemeanor and be
punished as provided by law.