The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-14
Pension
Law Will Be
Presented to
Legislature
WIDOWED OR DESERTED MOTH
ERS AND THEIR CHILDREN
WOULD BE THE BENEFICIARIES
UNDER THE PROPOSED LAW

Tallahassee, April 1.-THE fol-
lowing bill will be presented for the
consideration of the present legis-
lature. OF its merits there can be
no question:
An act to provide for the appoint
ment of commission to study the
needs of the State of Florida for a
mothers pension law, money appro-
priations for the same and other pur-
poses pertaining thereto:
Be it enacted by the legislature
of the State of Florida:
Section L. The governor of the
State, comptroller of the State and
five suitable persons of the State of
Florida shall constitute a commits
sion to be known as the Mothers
Pension Commission" of which COM
mission the governor shall be chair
man, and the comptroller shall be
the secretary. The governor of the
State, as soon as practical, shall Sc
lect and appoint five suitable per-
sons to be members Of the commits
sion; provided, that two of such per-
sons shall be women and all of such
persons shall be chosen from differ
ent counties of the State; provided
further, that the commission SO ap-
pointed shall be under the super
vision Of the board of commissioners
Of State institutions.
Section 2. That any vacancies oc-
curing upon such commission for
any cause shall be filled by election
and appointment by the governor of
the State from suitable persons of
the State, reserving two women in
the commission.
Section 8. The terms of the Offices
Of such commissions shall expire
with the completion of the purpose
provided for by the act; and the FIVE
commissioners to be appointed in ac-
cordance with the supervision Of the
act shall be paid only their actual
expenses while serving in the dis
charge Of their duties as such.
Section 4. It shall be the duty of
the governor as soon as practical az
ter the appointment Of the commits
sion, in this act provided for, to call
said commissioners together to for
mulate such plans and to take such
action as to the commission may be
deemed advisable, convenient or nee
essary, to execute the purposes OF
this act, and it shall be the duty OF
commission to execute the purpose
Of this act as expeditiously as prac.
tical.
Section s. It shall be the duty OF
the commission, in this act provided
for, as soon as practical, to begin
making and complete an investiga.
ton of the needs in the State Of
Florida for a mothers pension Law
to provide weekly or monthly pen
sion for widowed and deserted moth
ers and their children, and to ex'
tend such investigation, as practi
cal, into the needs Of every county
in the State of Florida; and further
to investigate the practicability o.
dispensing such pensions to the
needy mothers by permanent com
mission or otherwise; to investigate
as to what may be the best method
of determining deserving cases en-
titled to such pension; the amour
of appropriation necessary at eacl
meeting Of the legislature to main
tain and carry on such pension law
and to make such report Of their in
vestigation at the converting of thu
legislature in 1917 in such form
that the legislature may intelligent
ly consider the making and passag,
of permanent mothers pension
bill.
Section 6. The commission is here
, by authorized, directed and empow
cred to do every other matter ant
thing convenient or necessary TO
the carrying out and execution o
, the purpose of this act.
Section z. That the sum of fifteel
, hundred (s1, 5000 dollars or so mucl
thereof as may be necessary, and tn
, same is hereby appropriated out o
the moneys Of the State treasurer
not otherwise appropriated, for tn
purpose provided for by this act, an
, all payments for the expenses of tn
commission, or for other costs o
, purposes in the execution of the pur
poses Of this act, shall be made an,
, only made by warrant drawn by tn
, comptroller or State treasurer, an,
, upon itemized accounts lrst present
, ed to and approved by the commits
a sion, or majority thereof, and dull,
authorized by said comptroller, an
not more than the sum hereby ap
= propriated shall be used for the pur
pose of this act.
Section s. The governor, tn
, comptroller and two Of the othe
, members Of the commission shall
, constitute a quorum. and In meet
: ings called and held by the commits
Z sion. a vote of the majority of thos
, present and participating shall con
: tyol.
Section 9. This act shall take ct
D feet Immediately upon it's approva