Title 15.2, Counties, Cities and Towns

The governing body of any locality is authorized to provide by resolution or ordinance for the issuance of bonds of the locality for the purpose of refunding any or all bonds of the locality now or hereafter outstanding, other than obligations issued in anticipation of the collec…

Any refunding bonds may be issued or exchanged for the indebtedness to be retired by them, including indebtedness not matured, redeemable or surrendered for retirement. Unless so exchanged, any locality may sell refunding bonds authorized under the provisions of this article in s…

No refunding bonds shall be issued in a principal amount exceeding that necessary to amortize the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the bonds to be refunded and pay all expenses reasonably incurred in the issuance of the refunding bonds less the amount then in any…

The issuance of refunding bonds for the retirement of bonds which are now or may hereafter be entitled to participate in funds donated by the Commonwealth, or funds receivable from any source other than local taxes levied for such purposes, shall not be construed to deprive the b…

The governing body may authorize the payment by any locality of all expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with the authorization and issuance of refunding bonds. The governing body may appoint or retain an agent for the purpose of assisting it in the refunding transact…

Provision may be made in the proceedings authorizing refunding bonds for the purchase of the refunded bonds in the open market or pursuant to tenders made from time to time when there is available in the escrow or sinking fund for the payment of the refunded bonds a surplus in an…

The governing body of any county, acting for and in behalf of any road district, magisterial district, sanitary district, or school district in the county, may provide for the issuance of refunding bonds of the district for the purpose of refunding any bonds of the district. The …

The provisions of this article apply to all suits, actions and proceedings of whatever nature involving the validity of bonds of any locality or other political subdivision, agency or instrumentality of the Commonwealth or of any locality, whether the bonds are to be issued follo…

The governing body of any locality or other political subdivision, agency or instrumentality of the Commonwealth or of any locality proposing to issue bonds may bring at any time a proceeding in any court of the county or city having general jurisdiction and in which the issuer i…

Upon the filing of the motion for judgment the court shall fix the time and place for hearing the proceeding and shall enter an order requiring the publication of the motion for judgment or a summary of it approved by the court, together with the order setting forth the time and …

Any person, corporation, or association desiring to contest the issuance of any bonds pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, or any other law, general or special, shall proceed by filing a motion for judgment within thirty days after the filing of the resolution or ordinance…

Any party defendant may reply to the motion for judgment within ten days after its second publication as required by §§ 15.2-2652 and 15.2-2653 but not thereafter. Any property owner, taxpayer, citizen or other person in interest may become a party to the proceedings by pleading …

Upon motion of the plaintiff or the issuer, the court in which the first proceeding to invalidate or sustain the bonds was instituted may enjoin the commencement by any person, corporation, or association of any other action or proceeding involving the validity of the bonds or an…

An appeal from the final judgment of the circuit court in a bond validation proceeding may be taken to the Court of Appeals. No appeal shall be allowed unless a notice of appeal is filed in the circuit court within 15 days after the date on which the final judgment of the court i…

In the event the decree of the court validates the bonds and no appeal is taken within the time prescribed in § 15.2-2656, or if an appeal is taken and the decree of the court is affirmed, the decree shall be forever binding and conclusive as to the validity of the bonds, the val…

No court in which a proceeding to invalidate or sustain bonds is brought shall invalidate the bonds unless it finds substantial defects, material errors, and omissions in the bond issue. Matters of form shall be disregarded.

Whenever it appears to the Governor from an affidavit filed with him by or on behalf of the owner or owners of any general obligation bonds of any locality, or by any paying agent for the bonds that the locality has defaulted in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any,…

The authorization and issuance of the bonds under this chapter shall not be dependent on or affected in any way by proceedings taken, contracts made, or acts performed or done in connection with, or in furtherance of, the project undertaken by the locality authorizing and issuing…

Insofar as the provisions of this chapter are inconsistent with the provisions of any law, the provisions of this chapter shall be controlling. The powers conferred by this chapter are in addition to the powers conferred by any other law. Bonds may be issued under this chapter fo…

All proceedings taken before July 1, 1991, for or with respect to the authorization, issuance, sale, execution or delivery of bonds by or on behalf of any locality are validated, ratified, approved and confirmed, and any bonds so issued are valid, legal, binding and enforceable o…

If any proceedings with respect to the authorization, issuance, sale, execution or delivery of bonds have been commenced before July 1, 1991, the bonds may, at the election of the governing body of the locality issuing the bonds, be issued under the provisions of this chapter or …

The General Assembly hereby finds and determines that insurance protection is essential to the proper functioning of political subdivisions; that the resources of political subdivisions are burdened by the high cost of and frequent inability to secure such protection through stan…

For the purposes of this chapter, "political subdivision" means any county, city, or town, school board, Transportation District Commission, or any other local governmental authority or local agency or public service corporation owned, operated or controlled by a locality or loca…

The Commonwealth, or any agency of the Commonwealth, is authorized to exercise any of the powers granted to political subdivisions by this chapter, and when so doing shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter; provided, no agency of the Commonwealth may without the prior …

A. Any political subdivision of this Commonwealth may, by contract with one or more political subdivisions of this Commonwealth or of another state, form a group self-insurance pool to provide for joint or cooperative action relative to their financial and administrative resource…

A group self-insurance pool, for the purposes of carrying on the business of the group self-insurance pool whether or not a body corporate, shall have the power to sue and be sued, to make contracts, to hold and dispose of real and personal property, and to borrow money, contract…

Any intergovernmental contract entered into pursuant to this chapter for the purpose of establishing a group self-insurance pool shall provide: 1. For election by pool members of a governing authority for the pool, which may be a board of directors, a majority of whom shall be el…

The formation and operation of a group self-insurance pool under this section shall be subject to approval by the State Corporation Commission which may, after notice and hearing, establish reasonable requirements and regulations for the approval and monitoring of such pools, inc…

Each group self-insurance pool created in the Commonwealth shall file with the State Corporation Commission and with the members of the pool audited financial statements certified by an independent certified public accountant within 120 days after the end of the pool's fiscal yea…

Information regarding that portion of the funds or liability reserve of a pool established for purposes of satisfying a specific pending and unresolved claim or cause of action shall be exempt from disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.). In …

Any group self-insurance pool organized pursuant to this chapter is not an insurance company or insurer under the laws of the Commonwealth. The development, administration, and provision of group self-insurance programs and coverages authorized by this chapter by the governing au…

It is the purpose and intent of the General Assembly to create a procedure whereby the Commonwealth will help ensure that all of its localities are maintained as viable communities in which their citizens can live. To carry out this purpose and intent, there is hereby established…

The Commission shall consist of five members appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. The members' terms of office shall be for five years except that original appointments shall be made for such terms that the term of one member shall expire eac…

A member whose term expires and who is not reappointed may continue to serve as a temporary member of the Commission if a final report has not been made on an issue with respect to which he has participated in previous hearings, presentations, or investigations prior to the expir…

The Commission shall have the following general powers and duties: 1. To make regulations, including rules of procedure for the conducting of hearings; 2. To keep a record of its proceedings and to be responsible for the custody and preservation of its papers and documents; 3. To…

The Commission shall fix the time and place for holding regular meetings, which shall be held at least once every two months. Special meetings of the Commission may be called by any member and shall be held on such occasions as may be reasonably necessary to carry out the duties …

The members of the Commission shall elect from their number a chairman and vice-chairman whose terms shall be for one year. The Commission may create and fill such other offices as it may deem necessary.

No member of the Commission shall participate in the discussion, deliberation, drafting or approval of any report or finding required to be made under this chapter when any of the parties to the proceeding to which such report relates is a locality in which such member presently …

A. No locality or person shall file any action in any court in Virginia to annex territory, to have an area declared immune from annexation based upon provision of urban-type services, to establish an independent city, to consolidate two or more localities, at least one of which …

An action or proceeding to which the Commission on Local Government has jurisdiction shall be deemed to have been instituted upon the initial notice to the Commission required by subsection A of § 15.2-2907.

Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, whenever any matter provided for in Chapters 32 (§ 15.2-3200 et seq.), 33 (§ 15.2-3300 et seq.), 34 (§ 15.2-3400 et seq.), 35 (§ 15.2-3500 et seq.), 36 (§ 15.2-3600 et seq.), 38 (§ 15.2-3800 et seq.), 39, (§ 15.2-3900 et seq.), 40 (§…

Any proceeding heard by a special court appointed pursuant to §§ 15.2-3000 and 15.2-3002 shall have priority over all other cases, including criminal cases, on the docket of the court in which such proceeding is pending or on the docket of each judge designated to hear the case.

The Supreme Court of Virginia shall designate fifteen circuit court judges to compose the panel of judges provided for in this chapter. All special courts appointed pursuant to § 15.2-3000 shall be composed of three judges appointed from this panel. The chief justice shall design…

Judges selected for the panel shall continue to perform their regular duties as required by law. Appointment by the Supreme Court to sit on a three-judge court shall relieve the judge of his other duties to the extent necessary to serve on the three-judge court and participate in…

If a vacancy occurs on such court at any time prior to the final disposition of the case and the completion of all duties required to be performed by it, the court shall not be dissolved and the proceeding shall not fail; the vacancy shall be filled by designation of another judg…

Whenever a doubt exists or dispute arises over the true boundary line between any two localities, the circuit courts for the respective localities may each appoint not fewer than three nor more than five commissioners, who shall be resident landowners of their respective localiti…