<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>71575</law_id><section_number>45.2-1162</section_number><catch_line> Prosecution of violations</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="45.2">Mines, Minerals, and Energy</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Mineral Mines</unit><unit label="part" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="A">Mineral Mines Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="11">Mineral Mine Safety Act</unit><unit label="article" level="5" order_by="1" identifier="8">Enforcement and Penalties; Reports of Violations</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> It is the duty of every attorney for the Commonwealth to whom the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> or his authorized representative reports any violation of the Act, or on his own initiative, to cause proceedings to be prosecuted in such case. <a id="paragraph-257998" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/45.2-1162/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> If the attorney for the Commonwealth declines to cause proceedings to be prosecuted in such case, the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> may request the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> to institute proceedings for any violation of the Act on behalf of the Commonwealth. However, such action shall not preclude the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> from pursuing other applicable statutory procedures. Upon receiving such a request from the <span class="dictionary">Director</span>, the <span class="dictionary">Attorney General</span> may institute actions and proceedings for violations described in the request. <a id="paragraph-257999" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/45.2-1162/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1997, c. 390, &#xA7; 45.1-161.292:68; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 387.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
