53.1-126 - Responsibility of sheriffs and jail superintendents for food, clothing and medicine.
§ 53.1-126. Responsibility of sheriffs and jail superintendents for food,clothing and medicine.
The sheriff or jail superintendent shall purchase at prices as low asreasonably possible all foodstuffs and other provisions used in the feedingof jail prisoners and such clothing and medicine as may be necessary. Nothingherein shall be construed to require a sheriff, jail superintendent or alocality to pay for the medical treatment of an inmate for any injury,illness, or condition that existed prior to the inmate's commitment to alocal or regional facility, except that medical treatment shall not bewithheld for any communicable diseases, serious medical needs, or lifethreatening conditions. Invoices or itemized statements of account from eachvendor of such foodstuffs, provisions, clothing and medicines shall beobtained by the sheriff or jail superintendent and presented to the governingbody of the city or county or, in the case of regional jails, the regionaljail authority or, if none, that body responsible for the fiscal managementof the regional jails. He shall certify on each statement or invoice that themerchandise has been received and that the vendor has complied with the termsof the purchase. Such certification shall be in the following words: "Ihereby certify that the merchandise or service has been received and that theterms of the purchase have been complied with on the part of the vendor. Themerchandise or service has been or will be used solely for the feeding andcare of prisoners confined in jail." If any county or city has a purchasingagent, the local governing body may require all such purchases to be made byor through the purchasing agent.
(Code 1950, § 53-175; 1982, c. 636; 1991, c. 383; 2003, cc. 928, 1019.)