{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/15.2-1413.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/15.2-1413.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/15.2-1413.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/15.2-1413.html"}],"law_id":347317,"edition_id":2,"section_id":347317,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1413","catch_line":"Governing bodies of localities may provide for continuity of government in case of enemy attack, etc","history":"1964, c. 307, \u00a7 15.1-13.1; 1997, c. 587; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 295.","full_text":"Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special, any locality may, by ordinance, provide a method to assure continuity in its government, in the event of an enemy attack or other disaster. Such ordinance shall be limited in its effect to a period not exceeding 12 months after any such attack or disaster and shall provide for a method for the resumption of normal governmental authority by the end of the 12-month period.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1295944,"text":"Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special, any locality may, by ordinance, provide a method to assure continuity in its government, in the event of an enemy attack or other disaster. Such ordinance shall be limited in its effect to a period not exceeding 12 months after any such attack or disaster and shall provide for a method for the resumption of normal governmental authority by the end of the 12-month period.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":49848,"edition_id":2,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":49847,"metadata":{"child_laws":15,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:16:36","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:28","permalink":{"id":1379827,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49848,"identifier":"1","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1","url":"\/15.2\/II\/14\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49847,"edition_id":2,"name":"Governing Bodies of Localities","identifier":"14","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":5,"parent_id":49834,"metadata":{"child_laws":42,"child_structures":5},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:16:36","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:28","permalink":{"id":1379825,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49847,"identifier":"14","token":"15.2\/II\/14","url":"\/15.2\/II\/14\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49834,"edition_id":2,"name":"Powers of Local Government","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":2,"parent_id":49831,"metadata":{"child_laws":1081,"child_structures":112},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:16:24","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:25","permalink":{"id":1379371,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49834,"identifier":"II","token":"15.2\/II","url":"\/15.2\/II\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49831,"edition_id":2,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":46,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":2297,"child_structures":225},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:16:22","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:29:22","permalink":{"id":1378281,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49831,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":347304,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1400","catch_line":"Governing bodies","url":"\/15.2-1400\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1400","metadata":false},{"id":347305,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1401","catch_line":"Powers granted localities vested in their governing bodies","url":"\/15.2-1401\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1401","metadata":false},{"id":347306,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1402","catch_line":"Declared to be body politic of Commonwealth; seal","url":"\/15.2-1402\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1402","metadata":false},{"id":347307,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1403","catch_line":"Governing body to be continuing body","url":"\/15.2-1403\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1403","metadata":false},{"id":347308,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1404","catch_line":"How localities may sue or be sued; arbitration","url":"\/15.2-1404\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1404","metadata":false},{"id":347309,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1405","catch_line":"Immunity of members of local governmental entities; exception","url":"\/15.2-1405\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1405","metadata":false},{"id":347310,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1406","catch_line":"Compensation of governing bodies","url":"\/15.2-1406\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1406","metadata":false},{"id":347311,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1407","catch_line":"Administrative leave for certain members of governing bodies","url":"\/15.2-1407\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1407","metadata":false},{"id":347312,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1408","catch_line":"Restrictions on activities of former officers and employees by certain counties and cities","url":"\/15.2-1408\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1408","metadata":false},{"id":347313,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1409","catch_line":"Investigations by governing bodies","url":"\/15.2-1409\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1409","metadata":false},{"id":347314,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1410","catch_line":"Chairman and mayor may administer oaths","url":"\/15.2-1410\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1410","metadata":false},{"id":347315,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1411","catch_line":"Appointment of advisory boards, committees and commissions; compensation and reimbursement of expenses","url":"\/15.2-1411\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1411","metadata":false},{"id":347316,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1412","catch_line":"Reproductions of records and documents and legal status thereof; destruction of originals","url":"\/15.2-1412\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1412","metadata":false},{"id":347317,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1413","catch_line":"Governing bodies of localities may provide for continuity of government in case of enemy attack, etc","url":"\/15.2-1413\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1413","metadata":false},{"id":347325,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1414","catch_line":"Governing bodies may have a legal enumeration of the population","url":"\/15.2-1414\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1414","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":347316,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1412","catch_line":"Reproductions of records and documents and legal status thereof; destruction of originals","url":"\/15.2-1412\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1412","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":347325,"structure_id":49848,"section_number":"15.2-1414","catch_line":"Governing bodies may have a legal enumeration of the population","url":"\/15.2-1414\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1414","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-1413\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1964. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 307 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1964 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. 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. That modification is as follows: in 1997, chapter 587<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1379881,"object_type":"law","relational_id":347317,"identifier":"15.2-1413","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1413","url":"\/15.2-1413\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-1413\/","token":"15.2\/II\/14\/1\/15.2-1413","dublin_core":{"Title":"Governing bodies of localities may provide for continuity of government in case of enemy attack, etc","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-1413","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law<\/span>, general or special, any locality<\/span> may, by ordinance<\/span>, provide a method to assure continuity in its government, in the event of an enemy attack or other disaster. Such ordinance<\/span> shall be limited in its effect to a period not exceeding 12 months after any such attack or disaster and shall provide for a method for the resumption of normal governmental authority by the end of the 12-month period.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nGOVERNING BODIES OF LOCALITIES MAY PROVIDE FOR CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT IN CASE\nOF ENEMY ATTACK, ETC (\u00a7 15.2-1413)\n\nNotwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special, any locality\nmay, by ordinance, provide a method to assure continuity in its government, in\nthe event of an enemy attack or other disaster. Such ordinance shall be limited\nin its effect to a period not exceeding 12 months after any such attack or\ndisaster and shall provide for a method for the resumption of normal\ngovernmental authority by the end of the 12-month period.\n\nHISTORY: 1964, c. 307, \u00a7 15.1-13.1; 1997, c. 587; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 295.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}