Delaware General Assembly

CHAPTER 3

STATE HOUSE AND STATE OFFICES

AN ACT to amend Chapter 4 of the Revised Code of the State of Delaware in relation to the State House.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Delaware in General Assembly met:

Section 1. That Section 1 of Chapter 4 of the Revised Code of the State of Delaware, being Section 16 of the Revised Code of 1915, be amended by striking out all of said Section 1 and by inserting in lieu thereof the following:

16. Section 1. On the Second Tuesday of February, 1929, or at such time thereafter as the approval of this Act will permit, and every four years thereafter on the second Tuesday of February, the Governor shall appoint a Custodian of the State House, who shall hold office for the term of four years or until a successor is duly appointed and qualified. Before entering upon the duties of this office, the said Custodian shall take the oath of office prescribed by the Constitution and give a bond to the State in the sum of Two Thousand Dollars, with sureties approved by the Governor, conditioned for the faithful performance of the official duties and the safe keeping of all State property under his care; such oath and bond shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State.

Section 2. That Section 2 of Chapter 4 of the Revised Code of the State of Delaware, being Section 17 of the Revised Code of 1915, be amended by striking out all of said Section 2 and by inserting in lieu thereof the following:

17. Section 2. The Custodian of the State House shall have general charge of the State House and Administration Buildings and shall see that the same are properly cared for. He shall assign all rooms in the State House and Administration Buildings by and with the consent of the Governor for such uses and purposes as they may designate. At any time, when the said Custodian shall fail to perform the duties of the office, the Governor may remove such official and appoint some competent person to fill the unexpired term.

Section 3. That Section 3 of Chapter 4 of the Revised Code of the State of Delaware, being Section 18 of the Revised Code of 1915, be amended by striking out all of said Section 3 and by inserting in lieu thereof the following:

18. Section 3. The Custodian of the State House shall appoint two or more persons, one of whom shall be known as the Chief Janitor for the State Buildings, who shall hold office at the pleasure of the said Custodian. He shall direct the work of the said Janitor, whose duty it shall be to care for the property belonging to the State, to keep clean and in good order all the rooms, offices, apartments, library and furniture, halls, stairways and cellars in said buildings, to attend to the heating of same, and to look after the pavements and grounds attached thereto, and to perform the duties and to do any and all things directed to be done by the Custodian, which may be incident to the office of Janitor. The Custodian and Janitors, for the purpose of enforcing this Section, shall be clothed with all the powers of a police officer of the Town of Dover, Delaware.

Section 4. That Section 4 of Chapter 4 of the Revised Code of the State of Delaware, being Section 19 of the Revised Code of 1915, be amended by striking out all of said Section 4 and by inserting in lieu thereof the following:

19. Section 4. The Custodian of the State House shall receive an annual salary of Fifteen Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00), and is authorized and empowered to draw upon the State Treasurer at the end of each month for the same. The Chief Janitor shall be paid for his services a monthly salary of Ninety Dollars ($90.00) and the others shall receive Eighty Dollars ($80.00) per month for their services, such monies to be paid by the State Treasurer on warrants signed by the said Custodian. There shall also be allowed to defray the expenses incident to the care of State property such amounts as may from time to time be appropriated in the Budget Appropriation Bill.

Section 5. That Section 5 of Chapter 4 of the Revised Code Of the State of Delaware, being Section 20 of the Revised Code of 1915, be amended by striking out all of said Section 5 and by inserting in lieu thereof the following:

20. Section 5. The Custodian of the State House shall make a written report to the State Treasurer every six months as to the condition of the State property in his care and of the manner in which the janitors are performing the duties incumbent upon them. Should any report show the need of repairs to the buildings or improvement to the grounds, or that the janitors are not performing the duties of their respective offices faithfully, the State Treasurer shall bring such matter to the attention of the Board of State Repairs or to the Governor, as the condition may warrant.

Section 6. That Section 6 of Chapter 4 of the Revised Code of the State of Delaware, being Section 21 of the Revised Code of 1915, be amended by striking out all of said Section 6 and by inserting in lieu thereof the following:

21. Section 6. The Custodian of the State House shall keep the State House and Administration Buildings open each day, except Sundays and legal holidays, from eight o'clock A. M. to five o'clock P. M., with the exception of Saturdays, when the said buildings shall be closed at one o'clock P. M., provided, however, that during the period of the sessions of the General Assembly, the State House shall be open from eight o'clock A. M. to ten o'clock P. M. on the days that sessions are being held.

Section 7. That Section 7 of Chapter 4 of the Revised Code of the State of Delaware, being Section 22 of the Revised Code of 1915, be amended by striking out all of said Section 7 and by inserting in lieu thereof the following:

22. Section 22.*[So enrolled.] The Custodian of the State House is hereby authorized to appoint during any biennial or special session of the General Assembly a night watchman for the State House, who shall hold office for or during the said session, unless sooner removed by the Custodian. It shall be the duty of such night watchman to go on duty at seven o'clock P. M. and remain on duty until seven o'clock A. M., and to permit no one to enter the State House between the hours of ten o'clock P. M. and seven o'clock A. M., except State officials, their representatives and persons accompanying them. The compensation of said night watchman shall not exceed the sum of Five Dollars per diem of actual service during the session of the General Assembly.

Approved April 17, 1929.