§2-2-12. Headlines, etc., not part of act; notes, etc., attached to bills not to be construed as expressing legislative intent.

Chapter, article, or section headings, headlines or headnotes of any act of the Legislature, whether in the act at the time of passage or inserted by the Clerk of the House of Delegates in editing, compiling and publishing the acts of the Legislature, are mere catchwords and shall not be deemed or construed to be titles of such chapters, articles, or sections, or as any part thereof, or as indicating or expressing legislative intent or purpose.

Abstracts of bills or of changes proposed in existing statutes, explanatory notes, and declarations of purpose accompanying bills at the time of introduction in the Legislature or appended or attached thereto after introduction, and included with copies of such bills printed or otherwise reproduced by the Legislature or either house thereof, are not to be a part of such bills or of reports of committees thereon, and shall not be construed or interpreted as indicating or expressing legislative intent.