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Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73

§81h Civil and criminal jurisdiction; legislative authority of State over park

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IX— - COLONIAL NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK › § 81h

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Protects Virginia’s power to enforce civil and criminal laws and to make laws for land inside the national park. The State and its local governments keep that power and residents keep their citizenship rights. That power can only change if Virginia later agrees. Rules made under section 81g and the Act it mentions do not apply to public property in the city of Williamsburg unless the property belongs to the United States.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §81h

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Nothing in this subchapter shall be held to deprive the State of Virginia, or any political subdivision thereof, of its civil and criminal jurisdiction in and over the areas included in said national park, nor shall this subchapter in any way impair or affect the rights of citizenship of any resident therein; and save and except as the consent of the State of Virginia may be hereafter given, the legislative authority of said State in and over all areas included within said national park shall not be diminished or affected by the creation of said national park, nor by the terms and provisions of this subchapter: Provided, That any rules and regulations authorized in section 81g of this title, and in the Act therein referred to,11 See References in Text note below. shall not apply to any property of a public nature in the city of Williamsburg, other than property of the United States.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Act referred to in section 81g of this title, referred to in text, is act Aug. 25, 1916, ch. 408, 39 Stat. 535, known as the National Park Service Organic Act. See

References in Text

note set out under section 81g of this title. Codification Section was formerly classified to section 443e of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Act June 5, 1936, changed “Colonial National Monument” to “Colonial National Historical Park”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 81h

Title 16 — Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73