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Code of Virginia

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Code of Virginia
Title 57. Religious and Charitable Matters; Cemeteries
Chapter 2. Church Property; Benevolent Associations and Objects
10/8/2024

Article 1. General Provisions.

§ 57-3. Appropriation of glebe lands and church property.

A. The glebe lands and church property, or the proceeds thereof held by the authorities of any county under the act of January 12, 1802, or under any other act, which may not have been applied to some particular object under a local statute passed for the purpose, shall be appropriated to such object or objects, other than for a religious purpose, as may be voted for in such county (at such time and place as the circuit court may prescribe) by a majority of the persons entitled to vote in the county for a delegate therefrom to the General Assembly, and, if no such object be so voted for, shall remain vested in such authorities and be appropriated by them for the benefit of the poor of such county; provided that the counties of Essex, Middlesex, Northampton, and Lancaster may use the "Glebe Fund," together with other funds, for improvements to the courthouse and related facilities.

B. Any county granted authority on or after July 1, 2004, to use "Glebe Fund" for improvements to its courthouse or related facilities shall use such funds exclusively for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.) at such courthouse or related facilities.

Code 1919, § 36; 1962, c. 101; 1964, cc. 33, 601; 2004, c. 595.

§ 57-4. Donations to vestries for charitable purposes.

Where, previous to January 30, 1806, any donation was made of money or any other thing, for a charitable purpose, and the donation was to be controlled or managed by a vestry, the governing body of the county, city or town, in which the charity was intended by the donor to be exercised, shall exercise the same powers, and perform the same duties, respecting the donation, that could or ought to have been exercised and performed by the vestry, if it had continued to exist and been a corporate body, and shall apply such money or other thing in such manner as may have been directed by the donor.

Code 1919, § 37.

§ 57-5. R. E. Lee Camp; Pelham Chapel.

The act entitled "An act to incorporate R. E. Lee Camp, No. 1, Confederate Veterans," approved March 13, 1884; and the act entitled "An act making an annual appropriation for the support of the home of R. E. Lee Camp, No. 1, Confederate Veterans," approved February 12, 1886, shall continue in force.

The Governor is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement to lease the Pelham Chapel to the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Lee-Jackson Camp No. 1. The lease, or any renewal thereof, shall be in increments of five years and shall be under such terms and conditions, consistent with commemoration of a Confederate war memorial, as the Governor finds reasonably necessary and approved as to form by the Attorney General. Any such lease or renewal thereof shall only be revoked or terminated during such lease term increment if the lessee willfully fails to abide by the terms of the lease.

The provisions of § 2.2-1155 shall not apply to the Pelham Chapel, as configured as of July 1, 2002.

Code 1919, § 60; 1950, p. 632; 1972, c. 763; 1981, c. 1; 1990, c. 124; 1993, c. 737; 2002, c. 742.

§ 57-6. Lee Memorial Association.

The act entitled "An act to incorporate the Lee Memorial Association," approved January 14, 1871, as amended by an act approved December 29, 1877, as amended by an act approved March 3, 1879, as amended by an act approved March 13, 1884; the act entitled "An act to authorize the investment of moneys belonging to the Lee Memorial Association in State bonds," approved March 20, 1877; and the act entitled "An act to authorize the redemption of certain State securities held by the Lee Monument Association," approved March 19, 1884, shall severally continue in force.

Code 1919, § 61.

§ 57-6.1. Validity of literary, educational, and charitable gifts, grants, devises, or bequests.

Every gift, grant, devise, or bequest made on or after April 2, 1839, for literary or educational purposes, and every gift, grant, devise, or bequest made on or after April 6, 1976, for charitable purposes, whether made in any case to any type of entity or to a natural person, shall be as valid as if made to or for the benefit of a certain natural person, except such devises or bequests, if any, that have failed or become void by virtue of the seventh section of the Act of the General Assembly passed on April 2, 1839, entitled "an act concerning devises made to schools, academies, and colleges." Nothing in this section shall be construed so as to give validity to any devise or bequest to or for the use of any unincorporated theological seminary. Every gift, grant, devise, or bequest made for literary, educational, or charitable purposes before April 6, 1976, is hereby validated.

1976, c. 546, § 55-26.1; 2019, c. 712.