Virginia Constitution Article VII § 1 – Definitions
Terms Used In Virginia Constitution Article VII § 1 - Definitions
- Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
- city: means an independent incorporated community which became a city as provided by law before noon on the first day of July. See Virginia Constitution Article VII § 1
- county: means any existing county or any such unit hereafter created, (2) "city" means an independent incorporated community which became a city as provided by law before noon on the first day of July, nineteen hundred seventy-one, or which has within defined boundaries a population of 5,000 or more and which has become a city as provided by law, (3) "town" means any existing town or an incorporated community within one or more counties which became a town before noon, July one, nineteen hundred seventy-one, as provided by law or which has within defined boundaries a population of 1,000 or more and which has become a town as provided by law, (4) "regional government" means a unit of general government organized as provided by law within defined boundaries, as determined by the General Assembly, (5) "general law" means a law which on its effective date applies alike to all counties, cities, towns, or regional governments or to a reasonable classification thereof, and (6) "special act" means a law applicable to a county, city, town, or regional government and for enactment shall require an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly. See Virginia Constitution Article VII § 1
- general law: means a law which on its effective date applies alike to all counties. See Virginia Constitution Article VII § 1
- regional government: means a unit of general government organized as provided by law within defined boundaries. See Virginia Constitution Article VII § 1
- special act: means a law applicable to a county. See Virginia Constitution Article VII § 1
- Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
- town: means any existing town or an incorporated community within one or more counties which became a town before noon. See Virginia Constitution Article VII § 1
As used in this Article (1) “county” means any existing county or any such unit hereafter created, (2) “city” means an independent incorporated community which became a city as provided by law before noon on the first day of July, nineteen hundred seventy-one, or which has within defined boundaries a population of 5,000 or more and which has become a city as provided by law, (3) “town” means any existing town or an incorporated community within one or more counties which became a town before noon, July one, nineteen hundred seventy-one, as provided by law or which has within defined boundaries a population of 1,000 or more and which has become a town as provided by law, (4) “regional government” means a unit of general government organized as provided by law within defined boundaries, as determined by the General Assembly, (5) “general law” means a law which on its effective date applies alike to all counties, cities, towns, or regional governments or to a reasonable classification thereof, and (6) “special act” means a law applicable to a county, city, town, or regional government and for enactment shall require an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly may increase by general law the population minima provided in this Article for cities and towns. Any county which on the effective date of this Constitution had adopted an optional form of government pursuant to a valid statute that does not meet the general law requirements of this Article may continue its form of government without regard to such general law requirements until it adopts a form of government provided in conformity with this Article. In this Article, whenever the General Assembly is authorized or required to act by general law, no special act for that purpose shall be valid unless this Article so provides.
The amendment ratified November 7, 1972 and effective January 1, 1973—Added language to the definition of “city” in (2) to include those communities which became cities before July 1, 1971. Added language to the definition of “town” in (3) to include those communities which became “towns” before July 1, 1971.