Title 56, Public Service Companies

Commencing July 1, 2009, the MLTS provider of any multiline telephone system shall either (i) demonstrate or provide written instructions to each new user of the MLTS how to place an emergency call from a telephone station or (ii) provide written instructions at each telephone st…

Commencing July 1, 2009, the MLTS provider of any multiline telephone system shall maintain and operate the MLTS in such manner that a telephone call made by dialing the digits "9-1-1" and, if applicable, any additional digit or digits that must be dialed in order to permit the u…

A. The MLTS provider of any multiline telephone system that is acquired or installed on or after July 1, 2009, commencing on the date of its installation, shall maintain and operate the MLTS in a manner that ensures that each emergency call placed from any telephone station on th…

A. An MLTS provider, its employees or agents shall not be liable to any person for damages incurred as a result of any act or omission by it, except gross negligence or intentional, willful or wanton misconduct, in connection with maintaining or operating the MLTS in a manner req…

Notwithstanding any provision of this article to the contrary, the provisions of §§ 56-484.22 and 56-484.23 shall not apply with respect to any multiline telephone system located in a county that is not served by an enhanced 9-1-1 service system, until the later to occur of (i) 1…

A. A county, city, town, electric commission or board, industrial development authority, or economic development authority, other than one in a locality that (i) is eligible to provide telecommunications services pursuant to § 15.2-2160 and (ii) has a population in excess of 30,0…

The Commission shall find that it is in the public interest to approve the offering of qualifying communications services as defined in § 56-484.7:1 unless it shall be demonstrated to the Commission and found that, within the geographic area specified in the petition: (i) the qua…

The Commission may revoke its approval of a petition under § 56-484.7:1 no earlier than five years after such approval if it finds (i) that the factors described in § 56-484.7:2 on which the approval was based no longer exist or are no longer being satisfied, or (ii) that the pet…

The governing bodies of two or more counties, cities, or towns, or a combination thereof, may, by concurrent ordinances or resolutions or by agreement, create a regional emergency communications authority. Such authority shall be subject to all rights, privileges, and obligations…

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Authority" means a regional emergency communications authority created pursuant to this article. "Governing body" means, in the case of a county, the board of supervisors and, in the case of a city or town…

Each ordinance, agreement, or resolution creating an authority shall include the following: 1. The name of the authority and address of its principal office; 2. The name of each participating locality, together with the names, addresses, and terms of office of the first members o…

Any locality may become a member of any existing authority, and any locality that is a member of an existing authority may withdraw therefrom, but no locality shall be permitted to withdraw from any authority after any obligation has been incurred by the authority except by unani…

A. Each authority shall be governed by a board consisting of representatives appointed by the governing bodies of participating localities. The ordinances, agreements, or resolutions creating the authority shall specify (i) the number of members of the board, (ii) the manner of a…

Each authority created pursuant to this article shall have the power to: 1. Establish and maintain emergency communications systems and public safety answering points; 2. Employ, appoint, or contract administrative, technical, or operational personnel as necessary to carry out th…

An authority created pursuant to this article shall operate in accordance with Article 7 (§ 56-484.12 et seq.) and all rules, standards, and requirements established by the 9-1-1 Services Board. Nothing in this article shall be construed to authorize an authority to provide medic…

This article shall be liberally construed to effect its purposes and to promote regional cooperation in emergency communications. Nothing in this article shall require any locality to participate in an authority.

This chapter may be cited as the "Telephone Cooperatives Act." 1950, p. 588; 1956, c. 434.

Any number of natural persons not less than five may, by executing, filing and recording a certificate as hereinafter set forth, form a cooperative, either with or without capital stock, not organized for pecuniary profit, for the purpose of promoting and encouraging the fullest …

The following terms, whenever used or referred to in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless a different meaning appears from the context: (1) "Cooperative" shall mean a telephone corporation formed under this chapter. (2) "Municipality" shall mean any city or inc…

The certificate of incorporation shall be entitled and endorsed "Certificate of Incorporation of the........ Telephone Co-operative" (the blank space being filled in with the distinguishing part of the name of the cooperative) and shall state: (1) The name of the cooperative, whi…

The words "telephone cooperative" shall not be used in the corporate names of corporations other than those formed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. 1950, p. 590; 1956, c. 434.

The natural persons executing the certificate of incorporation shall be residents of the territory in which the principal operations of the cooperative are to be conducted who intend to use telephone service to be furnished by the cooperative. The certificate of incorporation sha…

Every cooperative formed hereunder shall have a board of directors of five or more members, which shall constitute the governing body of the cooperative. The directors, other than those named in the certificate of incorporation, shall be elected annually by the members entitled t…

The board of directors of a cooperative shall have power to do all things necessary and incidental in conducting the business of the cooperative, including but not limited to: (1) If authorized by the certificate of incorporation, or by resolution of its members, the power to ado…

A cooperative may issue to its members certificates of membership. Only members shall be entitled to vote at the meetings of the members of the cooperative. A member entitled to vote may vote in person or, unless the articles of incorporation or the bylaws otherwise provide, may …

Except as hereinafter provided, the corporate purpose of each cooperative formed hereunder shall be to render service to its members only, and no person shall become or remain a member unless such person uses telephone service supplied by the cooperative and shall have complied w…

Each corporation formed under this chapter shall have power to do any and all acts or things necessary or incidental for carrying out the purpose for which it was formed, including, but not limited to: 1. To furnish or provide telephone service or any of the facilities necessary …

No cooperative may sell, lease or dispose of any of its property other than property which, in the judgment of the board, is neither necessary nor useful in operating or maintaining the cooperative's system and which in any one year shall not exceed ten per centum in value of the…

A cooperative shall have the power and is hereby authorized, from time to time, to issue its obligations in anticipation of its revenues for any corporate purpose. Such obligations may be authorized by resolution of the board, and may bear such date or dates, mature at such time …

In connection with the issuance of any obligations a cooperative may make covenants or agreements and do any and all acts or things that a corporation can make or do under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia. 1950, p. 593; 1956, c. 434.

A cooperative shall have power out of any funds available therefor to purchase any obligations issued by it at a price not exceeding the principal amount thereof and accrued interest thereon. All bonds so purchased shall be cancelled. 1950, p. 593; 1956, c. 434.

Any two or more cooperatives created under the provisions of this chapter may consolidate or merge into a single corporation in the manner prescribed by Title 13.1, which consolidated or merged corporation shall exercise all the powers and authority and shall be vested with all t…

When there is held by any telephone cooperative, engaged in the business of furnishing telephone service, any patronage capital to the credit of a deceased person, in an amount not exceeding $500, upon whose estate there shall have been no qualification, it shall be lawful for su…

Every cooperative organized under this chapter shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the State Corporation Commission with respect to telephone services and facilities in the same manner and to the same extent as are other similar utilities under the laws of Virginia, except th…

A cooperative created hereunder may be dissolved in the manner prescribed by Article 16 (§ 13.1-742 et seq.) of Chapter 9 or Article 13 (§ 13.1-902 et seq.) of Chapter 10 of Title 13.1. 1950, p. 594; 1956, c. 434.

A cooperative created hereunder may amend its certificate of incorporation to change its corporate name, to increase or reduce the number of its directors or change any other provision therein, provided that no cooperative shall amend its certificate of incorporation to embody th…

The general laws of Virginia relating to fees and other charges in connection with issuing charters, amendments thereto, consolidations and dissolutions of corporations organized on a mutual basis or without capital stock, shall apply to cooperatives organized under the provision…

This chapter is to be liberally construed and the enumeration of any object, purpose, power, method or thing shall not be deemed to exclude like or similar objects, purposes, powers, manners, methods or things, and any provisions of other laws in conflict with the provisions of t…

Any Virginia corporation engaged in the furnishing of telephone service in the Commonwealth may come under the provisions of this chapter by filing with the Commission a certificate of adoption in the manner provided by paragraph (b) of § 13.1-334, and relinquishing all rights an…

If, from any rural territory not now being served, application be made to the State Corporation Commission by a group of five or more persons, natural or artificial, to require an extension of telephone service to such territory, the Commission shall, if necessary to accomplish t…

The continuous, uninterrupted, and proper functioning and operation of public utilities engaged in the business of furnishing water, light, heat, gas, electric power, transportation, communication, or any one or more of them to the people of Virginia are hereby declared to be ess…

Whenever in the judgment of the Governor there is an imminent threat of substantial curtailment, interruption or suspension in the operation of any public utility hereinabove mentioned he shall promptly make an investigation to determine whether, in his opinion, an actual curtail…

The Governor may possess and operate such properties in the manner hereinafter provided and through such department or agency of the Commonwealth as he may designate.

If the Governor shall issue a proclamation of intention to take possession of and operate any such utility as provided herein, he shall immediately ascertain what positions of employment are necessary to be filled in order to operate the same to such extent as may be required to …

In the event that any person or persons then employed by the utility in any such necessary positions shall fail to indicate an intention to work for the Commonwealth in operating the utility, when inquiry is made of such person by the Governor or his agent, the Governor shall imm…

The status of no person as an employee of the utility shall be affected by either his acceptance of employment by the Commonwealth or by his refusal of such employment.