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Blue laws
From Page A1
surprise to everyone. But Virginia’s labor law division says it intends to enforce the new law.
Civil and criminal charges may be incurred for violation of the day of rest law, including penalties ranging from $250 to $500 for each offense, and “three times the employee’s regular rate of pay for all hours worked on an employee’s day of rest.”
Compounding the problem is the fact that little or nothing can be done to remedy the situation until the General Assembly meets for its 2005 session in January.
“I’ve been in this position for 15 years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Keith Cheatham, Virginia Chamber of Commerce director of governmental affairs. Alerted to the situation 13 days ago by a Richmond law firm, Cheatham sounded the clarion call by a notice to local chambers of commerce last Thursday.
“I’m the bill reader. I should have caught this,” said Cheatham. “The mischief was created because the General Assembly — unintentionally, we feel — in trying to repeal the Blue Laws, repealed the exceptions to the Day of Rest law.” •
SB659 repealed section 18.2-341 of the so-called Blue Laws, which reads:
“On the first day of the week, commonly known and designated as Sunday, no person shall engage in work, labor or business or employ others to engage in work, labor or business except in the following industries ... transportation, services, utilities, manufacturing, publishing, real estate, movies, radio, TV, boat service and gas,. medical services, sports, agriculture, florists, drugstores, restaurants, delis, janitorial, hotels, funeral homes, cemeteries, mining, food, ice, beverage,
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