{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-494.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-494.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-494.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-494.html"}],"law_id":64616,"edition_id":1,"section_id":64616,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-494","catch_line":"Service to members; to nonmembers","history":"1950, p. 592; 1956, c. 434; 1996, c. 708.","full_text":"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 with the terms and conditions in respect to membership contained in the bylaws of the cooperative. Should the cooperative acquire any telephone facilities already dedicated or devoted to the public use it may, for the purpose of continuing existing service and avoiding hardship, continue to serve the persons served directly from such facilities at the time of such acquisition without requiring that such persons become members.\n\t\tThe rates to such nonmembers shall be on a cost basis similar to those charged members.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":235174,"text":"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 with the terms and conditions in respect to membership contained in the bylaws of the cooperative. Should the cooperative acquire any telephone facilities already dedicated or devoted to the public use it may, for the purpose of continuing existing service and avoiding hardship, continue to serve the persons served directly from such facilities at the time of such acquisition without requiring that such persons become members.\n\t\tThe rates to such nonmembers shall be on a cost basis similar to those charged members.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14091,"edition_id":1,"name":"Telephone Cooperatives Act","identifier":"16","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12881,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:51","permalink":{"id":250125,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14091,"identifier":"16","token":"56\/16","url":"\/56\/16\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12881,"edition_id":1,"name":"Public Service Companies","identifier":"56","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":248473,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12881,"identifier":"56","token":"56","url":"\/56\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":63853,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-485","catch_line":"Short title","url":"\/56-485\/","token":"56\/16\/56-485","metadata":false},{"id":85481,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-486","catch_line":"Who may form cooperative; purpose","url":"\/56-486\/","token":"56\/16\/56-486","metadata":false},{"id":70906,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-487","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/56-487\/","token":"56\/16\/56-487","metadata":false},{"id":76789,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-488","catch_line":"Certificate of incorporation","url":"\/56-488\/","token":"56\/16\/56-488","metadata":false},{"id":74509,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-489","catch_line":"Limitation of use of words \"telephone cooperative.\"","url":"\/56-489\/","token":"56\/16\/56-489","metadata":false},{"id":85742,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-490","catch_line":"Filing certificate of incorporation","url":"\/56-490\/","token":"56\/16\/56-490","metadata":false},{"id":84965,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-491","catch_line":"Board of directors; officers","url":"\/56-491\/","token":"56\/16\/56-491","metadata":false},{"id":77358,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-492","catch_line":"Powers of board of directors","url":"\/56-492\/","token":"56\/16\/56-492","metadata":false},{"id":65385,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-493","catch_line":"Membership; voting; nonprofit operation","url":"\/56-493\/","token":"56\/16\/56-493","metadata":false},{"id":64616,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-494","catch_line":"Service to members; to nonmembers","url":"\/56-494\/","token":"56\/16\/56-494","metadata":false},{"id":87301,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-495","catch_line":"Powers granted corporation","url":"\/56-495\/","token":"56\/16\/56-495","metadata":false},{"id":84850,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-496","catch_line":"Disposition of property","url":"\/56-496\/","token":"56\/16\/56-496","metadata":false},{"id":68695,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-497","catch_line":"Issue of obligations","url":"\/56-497\/","token":"56\/16\/56-497","metadata":false},{"id":67120,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-498","catch_line":"Covenants","url":"\/56-498\/","token":"56\/16\/56-498","metadata":false},{"id":73742,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-499","catch_line":"Purchase of own obligations","url":"\/56-499\/","token":"56\/16\/56-499","metadata":false},{"id":87088,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-500","catch_line":"Consolidation or merger","url":"\/56-500\/","token":"56\/16\/56-500","metadata":false},{"id":77715,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-501","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-501\/","token":"56\/16\/56-501","metadata":false},{"id":61079,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-501.1","catch_line":"Payment of certain patronage capital to spouse or next of kin of deceased person","url":"\/56-501.1\/","token":"56\/16\/56-501.1","metadata":false},{"id":71418,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-502","catch_line":"Regulation by State Corporation Commission","url":"\/56-502\/","token":"56\/16\/56-502","metadata":false},{"id":65253,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-503","catch_line":"Dissolution","url":"\/56-503\/","token":"56\/16\/56-503","metadata":false},{"id":80777,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-504","catch_line":"Charter amendments","url":"\/56-504\/","token":"56\/16\/56-504","metadata":false},{"id":86446,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-505","catch_line":"Charter fees","url":"\/56-505\/","token":"56\/16\/56-505","metadata":false},{"id":72543,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-506","catch_line":"Construction of chapter; conflicting laws","url":"\/56-506\/","token":"56\/16\/56-506","metadata":false},{"id":55217,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-507","catch_line":"Adoption of provisions by existing corporation","url":"\/56-507\/","token":"56\/16\/56-507","metadata":false},{"id":81225,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-508","catch_line":"Extension of service to territory not being served","url":"\/56-508\/","token":"56\/16\/56-508","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":65385,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-493","catch_line":"Membership; voting; nonprofit operation","url":"\/56-493\/","token":"56\/16\/56-493","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":87301,"structure_id":14091,"section_number":"56-495","catch_line":"Powers granted corporation","url":"\/56-495\/","token":"56\/16\/56-495","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-494\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 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 1956, chapter 434; in 1996, chapter 708<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":250163,"object_type":"law","relational_id":64616,"identifier":"56-494","token":"56\/16\/56-494","url":"\/56-494\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-494\/","token":"56\/16\/56-494","dublin_core":{"Title":"Service to members; to nonmembers","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-494","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Except as hereinafter provided, the corporate purpose of each cooperative<\/span> formed hereunder shall be to render service to its members<\/span> only, and no person<\/span> shall become or remain a member<\/span> unless such person<\/span> uses telephone service<\/span> supplied by the cooperative<\/span> and shall have complied with the terms and conditions in respect to membership contained in the bylaws of the cooperative<\/span>. Should the cooperative<\/span> acquire<\/span> any telephone facilities already dedicated or devoted to the public use it may, for the purpose of continuing existing service and avoiding hardship, continue to serve the persons<\/span> served directly from such facilities at the time of such acquisition without requiring that such persons<\/span> become members<\/span>.\n\t\tThe rates<\/span> to such nonmembers shall be on a cost basis similar to those charged members<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSERVICE TO MEMBERS; TO NONMEMBERS (\u00a7 56-494)\n\nExcept as hereinafter provided, the corporate purpose of each cooperative formed\nhereunder shall be to render service to its members only, and no person shall\nbecome or remain a member unless such person uses telephone service supplied by\nthe cooperative and shall have complied with the terms and conditions in respect\nto membership contained in the bylaws of the cooperative. Should the cooperative\nacquire any telephone facilities already dedicated or devoted to the public use\nit may, for the purpose of continuing existing service and avoiding hardship,\ncontinue to serve the persons served directly from such facilities at the time\nof such acquisition without requiring that such persons become members.\n\t\tThe rates to such nonmembers shall be on a cost basis similar to those charged\nmembers.\n\nHISTORY: 1950, p. 592; 1956, c. 434; 1996, c. 708.","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}}