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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>58992</law_id><section_number>18.2-338</section_number><catch_line>Enforcement of &#xA7; 18.2-331 by Governor and Attorney General</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="8">Crimes Involving Morals and Decency</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Gambling</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>If it shall come to the knowledge of the Governor that &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Illegal possession, etc., of gambling device; penalty" href="/18.2-331/">18.2-331</a> is not being enforced in any county, city or town, the Governor may call upon the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> to direct its enforcement in such county, city or town, and thereupon the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> may instruct the attorney for the Commonwealth, sheriff and chief of police, if any, of such county, or the attorney for the Commonwealth and chief of police of such city, or the attorney for the Commonwealth of the county in which such town is located and the chief of police or sergeant of such town, to take such steps as may be necessary to insure the enforcement of such section in such county, city or town, and if any such officers, after receiving such instructions, shall thereafter fail or refuse to exercise diligence in the enforcement of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Illegal possession, etc., of gambling device; penalty" href="/18.2-331/">18.2-331</a>, the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> shall make report thereof in writing to the Governor and to the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> of the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> having <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> over the acts thereby prohibited, and thereupon the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> upon being directed so to do by the Governor, shall take such steps as he may deem proper in directing the institution and <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> of criminal proceedings, to secure the enforcement of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Illegal possession, etc., of gambling device; penalty" href="/18.2-331/">18.2-331</a>.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 18.1-334; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
