SB583: General Assembly; testimony under oath before committee or subcommittee.

SENATE BILL NO. 583

Offered January 10, 2014
A BILL to amend and reenact § 30-11 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 30-10.1, relating to the General Assembly; testimony under oath before committee or subcommittee.
Patron-- Garrett

Referred to Committee on Rules

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 30-11 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 30-10.1 as follows:

§ 30-10.1. False testimony before committee or subcommittee of the General Assembly.

The chairman or one-third or more of the total membership of any committee or subcommittee of the Senate or House of Delegates is authorized to request any person addressing the committee or subcommittee to take an oath to testify truthfully. The oath shall be administered as provided in § 30-11. Any person addressing the committee or subcommittee may decline to take the oath. Any person who takes the oath and then knowingly makes a false statement while addressing the committee or subcommittee is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

§ 30-11. Who to administer oaths to witnesses.

The oaths to be taken by any witness examined before such house, or committee, or subcommittee may be administered by the speaker Speaker of the house House, the chairman of the committee or subcommittee, or the clerk of the house or of the committee or subcommittee. A copy of the oath shall be preserved by the clerk of the house or of the committee or subcommittee.