44-82 - How troops paid while in service; transportation to be furnished; movement of troops and supplies not to be delayed.

§ 44-82. How troops paid while in service; transportation to be furnished;movement of troops and supplies not to be delayed.

All officers and enlisted personnel of the National Guard or naval militia,whenever called out in aid of the civil authorities, shall receive thecompensation herein provided, and such compensation, and the necessaryexpenses incurred in furnishing supplies, subsistence, quartering, andtransporting troops, shall be paid monthly by the State Treasurer out of themilitary contingent fund, and out of any moneys not otherwise appropriated.Such payments shall be made on warrants to be drawn by the Comptroller, onthe State Treasurer, upon certificates of the officer in actual command ofthe troops, and upon payrolls prepared according to such forms as the stateregulations shall prescribe. Such payrolls and certificates are to betransmitted to the Adjutant General through the regular military channels,and he shall approve them before such warrants shall be drawn. TheComptroller and the State Treasurer are hereby authorized and directed todraw the warrants and make the payments herein provided for in accordancewith current or subsequently amended pay and allowances of United Statesarmed forces.

The several transportation companies in this Commonwealth shall furnishtransportation for troops so called out, stores, munitions and equipments,upon application of the officer in actual command, accompanied by acertificate from him of the number of personnel to be carried and theirdestination, and a copy of the order calling them out. For suchtransportation the transportation company shall be entitled to receivecompensation from the Commonwealth. And it shall be the duty of the AdjutantGeneral to contract annually with the various transportation companies of theCommonwealth, for rates of transportation, should there be occasion for it,provided, that such rates shall not exceed any maximum fixed by law.

Transportation of troops and military supplies shall be as speedy as possibleand have the right-of-way over all passenger and freight traffic ontransportation lines within the Commonwealth, and failure to furnishtransportation when called upon, or unnecessary delay in transporting suchtroops and supplies, shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $1,000 ormore than $10,000.

(1930, p. 963; Michie Code 1942, § 2673(68); 1958, c. 393; 1973, c. 401.)