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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>61976</law_id><section_number>56-57</section_number><catch_line>Securities to which chapter is applicable</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>56-542</reference><reference>56-65.1</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 id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> This chapter shall apply to every stock or stock certificate or other <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of interest or ownership, and, except as otherwise provided by &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Exceptions as to issue of stock, etc., in treasury, etc" href="/56-65/">56-65</a>, every <span class="dictionary">bond</span>, note or other <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of indebtedness, of a <span class="dictionary">public service company</span>, which may be issued, and to every obligation or liability as guarantor, endorser, <span class="dictionary">surety</span> or otherwise in respect of the <span class="dictionary">securities</span> of any other <span class="dictionary">person</span>, firm, association or <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>, when such <span class="dictionary">securities</span> are payable at periods of twelve months or more after the date thereof, which may be or may have been assumed after March 24, 1934, notwithstanding the <span class="dictionary">fact</span> that any preparatory steps, whether by the issuance or amendment of a certificate of incorporation, or by the action of the board of directors, or the stockholders or otherwise, may have been taken prior to such date. <a id="paragraph-226214" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/56-57/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Notwithstanding subsection A, this chapter shall not apply to any stock or stock certificate or other <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of interest or ownership, or any <span class="dictionary">bond</span>, note or other <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of indebtedness of a (i) <span class="dictionary">public service company</span> that operates under an alternative form of regulation approved by the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Telephone regulatory alternatives" href="/56-235.5/">56-235.5</a>, unless the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> rescinds such exemption as hereafter authorized, or (ii) competitive telephone company as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/56-54.2/">56-54.2</a>, provided such <span class="dictionary">securities</span> are issued for lawful purposes pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Purposes for which stock, etc., may issue" href="/56-58/">56-58</a>. Any <span class="dictionary">public service company</span> exempt from this chapter shall instead provide notice to the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> of the issuance of any stock or stock certificate or other <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of interest or ownership, or, except as otherwise provided by &#xA7;&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Exceptions as to issue of stock, etc., in treasury, etc" href="/56-65/">56-65</a> and <a class="law" title="Short-term indebtedness" href="/56-65.1/">56-65.1</a>, any <span class="dictionary">bond</span>, note or other <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of indebtedness, within ninety days of issuance. The <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> may rescind the exemption from this chapter provided by this subsection to any <span class="dictionary">public service company</span> that operates under an alternative form of regulation approved by the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Telephone regulatory alternatives" href="/56-235.5/">56-235.5</a> if the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> finds, after notice and an opportunity for a <span class="dictionary">hearing</span>, that such exemption is not in the public interest. <a id="paragraph-226215" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/56-57/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1934, p. 225; Michie Code 1942, &#xA7; 4073(11); 2001, c. 347; 2014, cc. 340, 376.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
