Virginia Code 57-52.1: Publication of warnings concerning solicitation by professional solicitors
If the Commissioner determines that any charitable or civic organization has contracted with a professional solicitor to solicit on its behalf and that the professional solicitor may be soliciting or has solicited in the Commonwealth, directly or indirectly, by any means, including, without limitation, by email, by telephone or telegraph, by direct mail, or by advertising in national media, and the professional solicitor has not registered with the Commissioner as required by § 57-61, the Commissioner may, after five days’ written notice mailed to the charitable or civic organization, cause to be printed on the Department‘s website and in one or more newspapers published in the Commonwealth a notice on substantially the following form:
Terms Used In Virginia Code 57-52.1
- Civic organization: means any local service club, veterans post, fraternal society or association, volunteer fire or rescue group, or local civic league or association of 10 or more persons not organized for profit but operated exclusively for educational or charitable purposes as defined in this section, including the promotion of community welfare, and the net earnings of which are devoted exclusively to charitable, educational, recreational, or social welfare purposes. See Virginia Code 57-48
- Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services or a member of his staff to whom he may delegate his duties under this chapter. See Virginia Code 57-48
- Department: means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. See Virginia Code 57-48
- Professional solicitor: means any person who, for a financial or other consideration, solicits contributions for, or on behalf of, a charitable or civic organization, whether such solicitation is performed personally or through his agents, servants, or employees or through agents, servants, or employees who are specially employed by or for a charitable or civic organization and are engaged in the solicitation of contributions under the direction of such person or any person who, for a financial or other consideration, plans, conducts, manages, carries on, advises, or acts as a consultant to a charitable or civic organization in connection with the solicitation of contributions but does not qualify as a professional fund-raising counsel. See Virginia Code 57-48
WARNING—UNREGISTERED CHARITABLE SOLICTATION BY PROFESSIONAL SOLICITOR
The charitable or civic organization named below has contracted with a professional solicitor to solicit on its behalf. The professional solicitor has not registered with the Commonwealth of Virginia as required by law. Contributors are cautioned that their contributions may be used for noncharitable purposes.
1987, c. 561; 2023, c. 289.