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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>63393</law_id><section_number>56-55</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>56-231.33</reference><reference>56-249.6:1</reference><reference>56-249.6:2</reference><reference>56-249.8</reference><reference>56-265.13:7</reference><reference>56-265.3</reference><reference>56-533</reference><reference>56-590</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="56">Public Service Companies</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Issuance of Stocks, Bonds, Etc.</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The term &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">public service company</span>&#x201D; when used in this chapter shall mean every <span class="dictionary">person</span>, firm, corporation or association, or their lessees, trustees or receivers, other than a <span class="dictionary">municipal corporation</span>, now or hereafter engaged in business in this Commonwealth as a public utility and subject to regulation as to <span class="dictionary">rates</span> and service by the State Corporation <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> under the provisions of Chapter 10 (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Public utility and schedules defined" href="/56-232/">56-232</a> et seq.) of this title; however, the term shall not include and the provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed to refer to common carrier <span class="dictionary">railroad</span> companies, the issuance of the stocks and <span class="dictionary">securities</span> of which are under regulation by the Interstate Commerce <span class="dictionary">Commission</span>.
		The term &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">total capitalization</span>&#x201D; as used in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Short-term indebtedness" href="/56-65.1/">56-65.1</a> shall mean total common stockholders&#x2019; <span class="dictionary">equity</span> (common stock, additional paid-in capital and retained earnings), preferred stock, and total debt (long- and short-term debt) as shown on the utility&#x2019;s books.
		The terms &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">securities</span>&#x201D; and &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">loan</span>&#x201D; as used in &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="No licensed salesman required when securities approved under this chapter" href="/56-68/">56-68</a> and <a class="law" title="Fees in connection with applications for authority to issue securities" href="/56-75/">56-75</a> shall include every obligation, written or otherwise, the issuance of, or entry into, which is required to be approved or validated by this chapter.</p></section></text><history>1934, p. 221; Michie Code 1942, &#xA7;&#xA7; 4073(1), 4073(16); 1984, c. 721; 1987, c. 479.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
