HB 183

            
2020 SESSION

20101008D

HOUSE BILL NO. 183


Offered January 8, 2020


Prefiled December 26, 2019

A BILL to amend and reenact � 42.1-70 of the Code of Virginia, 
 relating to libraries; assessment for costs in civil actions; disbursement for 
 law libraries.
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Patrons-- Levine and Kory

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Referred to Committee on General Laws

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
 
 
1. That � 42.1-70 of the Code of Virginia is amended and 
 reenacted as follows:
 
 
� 42.1-70. Assessment for law library as part of costs in 
 civil actions; contributions from bar associations.
 
 
Any county, city or town may, through its governing body, 
 assess, as part of the costs incident to each civil action filed in the courts 
 located within its boundaries, a sum not in excess of 
 four dollars $7.
 
 
The imposition of such assessment shall be by ordinance of the 
 governing body, which ordinance may provide for different sums in circuit 
 courts and district courts, and the assessment shall be collected by the clerk 
 of the court in which the action is filed, 
 and remitted to the treasurer of such county, city or town and held by such 
 treasurer subject to disbursements by the governing body for the acquisition of 
 (i) law books, law periodicals and, computer legal research 
 services, and 
 computer terminals for offsite placement to maximize access to the law library 
 by the public, 
 and (ii) equipment for the establishment, use and maintenance of a law library 
 which shall be open for the use of the public at hours convenient to the 
 public. In addition to the acquisition of law books, law periodicals and 
 computer legal research services and equipment, the disbursements may include 
 compensation to be paid to librarians and other necessary staff for the 
 maintenance of such library and acquisition of suitable quarters for such 
 library. The compensation of such librarians and the necessary staff and the 
 cost of suitable quarters for such library shall be fixed by the governing body 
 and paid out of the fund created by the imposition of such assessment of cost. 
 Such libraries, pursuant to rules of the Supreme Court and at costs to such libraries, 
 may have access to computer research services of the State Law Library. 
 Disbursements may be made to purchase or lease computer terminals for the 
 purpose of retaining such research services. The assessment provided for herein 
 shall be in addition to all other costs prescribed by law, 
 but shall not apply to any action in which the Commonwealth or any political 
 subdivision thereof or the federal government is a party and in which the costs 
 are assessed against the Commonwealth, political subdivision thereof, or 
 federal government. The governing body is authorized to accept contributions to 
 the fund from any bar association.
 
 
Any such library established in the County of Wythe shall be 
 located only in a town which is the seat of the county government.