Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 69.djvu/323

 69 S T A T. 3

281

PUBLIC LAW 134-JULY 7, 1955 CHAPTER 280

Public Law 134 AN ACT

To provide for the bonding of certain officers and employees of the government of the District of Columbia, for the payment of the premiums on such bonds by the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of Amejica. in Congress assembled, That so much of the last paragraph of section 2 of the Act approved June 11, 1878 (20 Stat. 103, ch. 180), entitled "An Act providing a permanent form of government for the District of Columbia", as added by the first section of the Act approved June 28, 1935 (49 Stat. 430), as precedes the proviso in said last paragraph, is amended to read as follows: "The said Commissioners are hereby authorized and empowered to determine which officers and employees of the District of Columbia, or which positions occupied or to be occupied by such officers and employees, shall hereafter be bonded for the faithful discharge of the duties of such officers and employees or of such positions, and to fix the penalty or penalties of any such bond;•'. SEC. 2. The Commissioners of the District of Columbia are authorized to obtain blanket, position schedule, or other type of surety bond covering their civilian officers and employees required by law or administrative ruling to be bonded. Each bond shall be of the most suitable type available for the number and type of personnel required to be bonded, and shall be conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties of the persons so bonded, and the term "faithful performance of the duties" shall be deemed to include the proper accounting for all moneys or property received by virtue of the bonded persons' positions or employment and all responsibilities and accountabilities imposed by statute or regulation issued pursuant thereto. The bond premium may cover a period not exceeding three years and may be paid in advance from funds available for administrative expenses when the contract is made or continued. If the initial or subsequent premium cost exceeds $500 for any bond procured under authority of this section, advertisement for bids shall be required therefor and procurement shall be made from the responsible bidder whose bid, conforming to the invitation for bids, will be most advantageous to the District of Columbia, price and other factors considered. SEC. 3. Whenever any officer or employee of the District of Columbia, as a prerequisite to entering upon the duties of his office or employment, or as a condition to his holding such office or employment is required by any provision of law or regulation to execute or furnish bond, notwithstanding such provision of law, if any bond obtained by the Commissioners pursuant to the authority contained in this Act covers such officer or employee, or covers the position of such officer or employee, in the amount and for such period as may be prescribed by such provision of law, such bond obtained by the Commissioners shall be in lieu of the bond required to be executed or furnished by such officer or employee. SEC. 4. Subsection (a) of section 305 of the District of Columbia Law Enforcement Act of 1953, approved June 29, 1953 (67 Stat. 90, 101), is amended by adding at the end thereof the following sentence: "The premium on any such bond may cover periods not exceeding three years and may be paid in advance." SEC. 5. Section 561 of the Act entitled "An Act to establish a code of law for the District of Columbia", approved March 3, 1901, as amended (31 Stat. 1189, 1279; sec. 1-504, D. C. Code, 1951 edition) is amended by adding at the end of said section the following sentence: "Where any such notary public is an officer or employee of the

July 7, 1955 [S. 391]

D. C. bonding oi' officers and em-' ployeess

D. e. Code I-IO:! note«

Metropolitan Police. D. e. Code 4-186.

Notary public.

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