The General Assembly at its Regular Session of 1966 directed the Virginia Code Commission, by Chapter 315 of the Acts of that Session, to revise certain titles of the Code of Virginia, including Title 62, relating to waters of the State, ports and harbors.

Extracts from. Chapter 315 follow:

"§ 1. The Code of Virginia shall be gradually revised by revising one or more titles at a time. In revising each title, all other sections of the Code relating to the same subject matter shall be revised to the extent necessary. Experts shall be employed by the Virginia Code Commission to assist in the project. The Commission may also accept the services of qualified volunteers who are willing to serve without pay. Tentative drafts of proposed revisions shall be printed and circulated among interested persons and their comments solicited.

"§ 2. The Commission shall .undertake the revision of Titles 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65 and submit to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before October one, nineteen hundred sixty-seven, a report of its recommendations, together with suggested legislation necessary to carry such recommendations into effect."

Hugh Reid Thompson, Jr., Esquire, of the Richmond City Bar, was retained as Counsel to assist in the revision of this Title.

Counsel examined the provisions of this Title in detail and consulted officials of the State agencies interested in and affected by this Title. The Code Commission met with Counsel on several occasions, and discussed in detail changes recommended by members of the Commission, by Counsel and by such officials.

As a result of its efforts, the Commission considered it desirable that there be a general renumeration of the sections, the deletion of certain obsolete sections, and the amendment of other sections. We are of the opinion that this can be better accomplished by the repeal of Title 62 and the enactment of Title 62.1 in lieu thereof.

Included in this Report is the Report of Counsel to the Commission on Title 62. Also, following each section of the draft of Title 62.1 are Counsel's notes identifying the source of the provisions of the section and commenting upon any changes therein. Furthermore, preceding the draft of Title 62.1 there is set forth a table of comparable sections, for the purpose of tracing each of the provisions of Title 62 into proposed Title 62.1. This table also indicates those sections of Title 62 which have been deleted. Those who are interested in the major features of the Revision should read the Report of Counsel and the notes following the several sections of Title 62.1, to which reference is hereby made.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Code Commission submits this Report, and recommends that the Legislature enact the attached bill in 1968.

The Commission wishes to express appreciation for the valuable assistance rendered by Counsel in the preparation of this Revision, and for the cooperation of the officials of the State agencies affected by this Title.

Respectfully submitted,

James M. Thomson, Chairman
E. Almer Ames, Jr., Vice-Chairman
Fred W. Bateman
John Wingo Knowles
G. M. Lapsley
Robert D. Mcllwaine, III
A. L. Philpott