15.2-725 - Commission on human rights; subpoena requests.
§ 15.2-725. Commission on human rights; subpoena requests.
A. The board may, by ordinance, establish a local commission on human rightswhich shall have the following duties:
1. To promote policies to ensure that all persons be afforded equalopportunity;
2. To serve as an agency for receiving, investigating and assisting in theresolution of complaints from citizens of the county regarding discriminatorypractices and, with the board's approval, to seek, through appropriateenforcement authorities, prevention of or relief from such practices.
B. The board may by ordinance provide that whenever the commission hasreasonable cause to believe that any person has engaged in or is engaging ina violation of an authorized local human rights ordinance, and after making agood faith effort to obtain, voluntarily, the attendance of witnessesnecessary to determine whether such violation occurred, the commission isunable to obtain such attendance, it may request the county attorney, withthe approval of the board, to apply to the judge of the circuit court for thelocality in which the witness resides or is doing business for a subpoenaagainst such person refusing to appear as a witness, and the judge of suchcourt may, upon good cause shown, cause the subpoena to be issued. Suchordinance shall provide that any witness subpoena so issued shall include astatement that any statements made will be under oath and the witness isentitled to be represented by an attorney. Such ordinance shall furtherprovide that any person failing to comply with such subpoena so issued shallbe subject to punishment for contempt by the court issuing the subpoena, andthat any person so subpoenaed may apply to the judge who issued a subpoena toquash it.
C. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, whenever a county hasadopted an ordinance prohibiting discrimination as authorized by thissection, such county may also in its ordinance prohibit discrimination incommercial real estate transactions.
(1982, c. 108, § 15.1-687.3; 1991, c. 143, § 15.1-687.20; 1996, c. 877, §15.1-687.24; 1997, c. 587.)