{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/33.2-723.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/33.2-723.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/33.2-723.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/33.2-723.html"}],"law_id":69433,"edition_id":1,"section_id":69433,"structure_id":16478,"section_number":"33.2-723","catch_line":"Assumption of district highway indebtedness by counties","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 33-256, 33-257, 33-258, 33-259, 33-260; 1970, c. 322, \u00a7\u00a7 33.1-321, 33.1-322, 33.1-323, 33.1-324, 33.1-325; 2014, c. 805; 2023, cc. 506, 507; 2024, cc. 225, 242.","full_text":"A\n\nAny county may assume the payment of and pay any outstanding indebtedness of any magisterial district or districts thereof incurred for the purpose of constructing public highways that were subsequently taken over by the Commonwealth, provided the assumption thereof is approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the county voting on the question at an election to be held as provided in this section.B\n\nThe governing body of the county may, by a resolution entered of record in its minute book, require the judges of election to open a poll at the next regular election and take the sense of the qualified voters of the county upon the question whether or not the county shall assume the highway indebtedness of __________ district, or __________ districts. The local governing body shall cause notice of such election to be given by the posting of written notice thereof at the front door of the county courthouse at least 30 days prior to the date the same is to be held and by publication thereof twice in a newspaper published or having general circulation in the county, with the first publication appearing no more than 28 days before and the second publication appearing no less than seven days before the election. Such notice shall set forth the date of such election and the question to be voted on.C\n\nThe ballots for use in voting upon the question so submitted shall be prepared, printed, distributed, voted, and counted and the returns made and canvassed in accordance with the provisions of § 24.2-684. The results shall be certified by the commissioners of election to the county clerk, who shall certify the same to the governing body of the county, and such returns shall be entered of record in the minute book of the local governing body.D\n\nIf a majority of the voters voting on the question vote in favor of the assumption by the county of the highway indebtedness of any district of the county, such indebtedness shall become and be an obligation of the county and as binding thereon as if the same had been originally contracted by the county. In such event the governing body of the county is authorized to levy and collect taxes throughout the county for the payment of the district indebtedness so assumed, both as to principal and interest.E\n\nNothing contained in this section shall affect the validity of such district highway obligations in the event that the result of such election is against the assumption thereof by the county, but they shall continue to be as valid and binding in all respects as they were in their inception.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":251104,"text":"Any county may assume the payment of and pay any outstanding indebtedness of any magisterial district or districts thereof incurred for the purpose of constructing public highways that were subsequently taken over by the Commonwealth, provided the assumption thereof is approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the county voting on the question at an election to be held as provided in this section.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":251105,"text":"The governing body of the county may, by a resolution entered of record in its minute book, require the judges of election to open a poll at the next regular election and take the sense of the qualified voters of the county upon the question whether or not the county shall assume the highway indebtedness of __________ district, or __________ districts. The local governing body shall cause notice of such election to be given by the posting of written notice thereof at the front door of the county courthouse at least 30 days prior to the date the same is to be held and by publication thereof twice in a newspaper published or having general circulation in the county, with the first publication appearing no more than 28 days before and the second publication appearing no less than seven days before the election. Such notice shall set forth the date of such election and the question to be voted on.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":251106,"text":"The ballots for use in voting upon the question so submitted shall be prepared, printed, distributed, voted, and counted and the returns made and canvassed in accordance with the provisions of § 24.2-684. The results shall be certified by the commissioners of election to the county clerk, who shall certify the same to the governing body of the county, and such returns shall be entered of record in the minute book of the local governing body.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":251107,"text":"If a majority of the voters voting on the question vote in favor of the assumption by the county of the highway indebtedness of any district of the county, such indebtedness shall become and be an obligation of the county and as binding thereon as if the same had been originally contracted by the county. In such event the governing body of the county is authorized to levy and collect taxes throughout the county for the payment of the district indebtedness so assumed, both as to principal and interest.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":251108,"text":"Nothing contained in this section shall affect the validity of such district highway obligations in the event that the result of such election is against the assumption thereof by the county, but they shall continue to be as valid and binding in all respects as they were in their inception.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D"}},"ancestry":[{"id":16478,"edition_id":1,"name":"Assumption of District Highway Indebtedness","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14310,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:20:12","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:20:12","permalink":{"id":206305,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16478,"identifier":"3","token":"33.2\/II\/7\/3","url":"\/33.2\/II\/7\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14310,"edition_id":1,"name":"Local Authority Over Highways","identifier":"7","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12830,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:42","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:42","permalink":{"id":206207,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14310,"identifier":"7","token":"33.2\/II\/7","url":"\/33.2\/II\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12830,"edition_id":1,"name":"Modes of Transportation: Highways, Bridges, Ferries, Rail, and Public Transportation","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12806,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":205369,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12830,"identifier":"II","token":"33.2\/II","url":"\/33.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12806,"edition_id":1,"name":"Highways and Other Surface Transportation Systems","identifier":"33.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","permalink":{"id":204785,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12806,"identifier":"33.2","token":"33.2","url":"\/33.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":69433,"structure_id":16478,"section_number":"33.2-723","catch_line":"Assumption of district highway indebtedness by counties","url":"\/33.2-723\/","token":"33.2\/II\/7\/3\/33.2-723","metadata":false}],"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/33.2-723\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1970, chapter 322; in 2014, chapter 805<\/a>; in 2023, chapters 506<\/a> and 507<\/a>; in 2024, chapters 225<\/a> and 242<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":82479,"section_number":"24.2-684","catch_line":"How referendum elections called and held, and the results ascertained and certified","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-684\/"}],"permalink":{"id":206307,"object_type":"law","relational_id":69433,"identifier":"33.2-723","token":"33.2\/II\/7\/3\/33.2-723","url":"\/33.2-723\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/33.2-723\/","token":"33.2\/II\/7\/3\/33.2-723","dublin_core":{"Title":"Assumption of district highway indebtedness by counties","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 33.2-723","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Any county may assume the payment of and pay any outstanding indebtedness of any magisterial district or districts thereof incurred for the purpose of constructing public highways<\/span> that were subsequently taken over by the Commonwealth, provided the assumption thereof is approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the county voting on the question at an election to be held as provided in this section. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The governing body of the county may, by a resolution entered of record in its minute book, require the judges<\/span> of election to open a poll at the next regular election and take the sense of the qualified voters of the county upon the question whether or not the county shall assume the highway<\/span> indebtedness of __________ district, or __________ districts. The local governing body shall cause notice of such election to be given by the posting of written notice thereof at the front door of the county courthouse at least 30 days prior to the date the same is to be held and by publication thereof twice in a newspaper published or having general circulation in the county, with the first publication appearing no more than 28 days before and the second publication appearing no less than seven days before the election. Such notice shall set forth the date of such election and the question to be voted on. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The ballots for use in voting upon the question so submitted shall be prepared, printed, distributed, voted, and counted and the returns made and canvassed in accordance with the provisions of § 24.2-684<\/a>. The results shall be certified by the commissioners<\/span> of election to the county clerk, who shall certify the same to the governing body of the county, and such returns shall be entered of record in the minute book of the local governing body. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> If a majority of the voters voting on the question vote in favor of the assumption by the county of the highway<\/span> indebtedness of any district of the county, such indebtedness shall become and be an obligation of the county and as binding thereon as if the same had been originally contracted by the county. In such event the governing body of the county is authorized to levy<\/span> and collect taxes throughout the county for the payment of the district indebtedness so assumed, both as to principal and interest. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> Nothing contained in this section shall affect the validity of such district highway<\/span> obligations in the event that the result of such election is against the assumption thereof by the county, but they shall continue to be as valid and binding in all respects as they were in their inception. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nASSUMPTION OF DISTRICT HIGHWAY INDEBTEDNESS BY COUNTIES (\u00a7 33.2-723)\n\nA. Any county may assume the payment of and pay any outstanding indebtedness of\nany magisterial district or districts thereof incurred for the purpose of\nconstructing public highways that were subsequently taken over by the\nCommonwealth, provided the assumption thereof is approved by a majority of the\nqualified voters of the county voting on the question at an election to be held\nas provided in this section.\n\nB. The governing body of the county may, by a resolution entered of record in\nits minute book, require the judges of election to open a poll at the next\nregular election and take the sense of the qualified voters of the county upon\nthe question whether or not the county shall assume the highway indebtedness of\n__________ district, or __________ districts. The local governing body shall\ncause notice of such election to be given by the posting of written notice\nthereof at the front door of the county courthouse at least 30 days prior to the\ndate the same is to be held and by publication thereof twice in a newspaper\npublished or having general circulation in the county, with the first\npublication appearing no more than 28 days before and the second publication\nappearing no less than seven days before the election. Such notice shall set\nforth the date of such election and the question to be voted on.\n\nC. The ballots for use in voting upon the question so submitted shall be\nprepared, printed, distributed, voted, and counted and the returns made and\ncanvassed in accordance with the provisions of § 24.2-684. The results\nshall be certified by the commissioners of election to the county clerk, who\nshall certify the same to the governing body of the county, and such returns\nshall be entered of record in the minute book of the local governing body.\n\nD. If a majority of the voters voting on the question vote in favor of the\nassumption by the county of the highway indebtedness of any district of the\ncounty, such indebtedness shall become and be an obligation of the county and as\nbinding thereon as if the same had been originally contracted by the county. In\nsuch event the governing body of the county is authorized to levy and collect\ntaxes throughout the county for the payment of the district indebtedness so\nassumed, both as to principal and interest.\n\nE. Nothing contained in this section shall affect the validity of such district\nhighway obligations in the event that the result of such election is against the\nassumption thereof by the county, but they shall continue to be as valid and\nbinding in all respects as they were in their inception.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 33-256, 33-257, 33-258, 33-259, 33-260; 1970, c. 322,\n\u00a7\u00a7 33.1-321, 33.1-322, 33.1-323, 33.1-324, 33.1-325; 2014, c. 805; 2023, cc.\n506, 507; 2024, cc. 225, 242.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}