Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-07
NEW AUTOBILL
FROM BUCkMAN
Measure Is Designed to In
crease Revenue and Change
Regulations

An entirely new measure contain
ing sweeping provisions for the reg
ulation of auto-vehicles in Pennsyl-
vania will be introduced in the Sem
ate tomorrow by Senator Buckman.
of Bucks, chairman of the Senate
Appropriations Committee.
The bills will take place of sim
liar ones previously sponsored by
Senator Buckman and Representa-
tive Mearkle, of Allegheny, the
withdrawal of both of which was
agreed to by representatives of the
State Motor Federation and of other
automobile interests at conference
held in Senator Buckman's office in
Philadelphia on Saturday.
The new measure is also intended
as revenue-raiser, as well as one
that will not only embody certain
features of the first Buckman bill
and the Mearkle bill. but number
of additional ones which are eN-
pected to be satisfactory to the
states automobilists as we'll as 10 It's
A number of the features of the
old bills will also be conspicuous
by their absence from the new one,
or. will only appear in 1t in much
amended or curtailed form.
AS a revenue-raiser the new bill
is expected to cause thousands of
additional dollars to pour INTO the
state treasury from the pockets OF
motor-vehiciists,, Senator Buckman
lit t.aft1 g
terday to once more take up with
Representative Woodward, chairman
of the House Appropriations Com
mittee, the urgent financial require
ments of the state.
One of the provisions of the new
bill would levy tax of 50 upon
every dealer in motorcycles in the
state, while those motorcycllsts VINO
carry a side basket, or "bathtub, at
tached to, or, as part of their ma
chimes. shall pay a license of SO IN
stead of SS, as they do now.
Every unpaid operator of motor
vehicle will be required under
another provision of the measure, to
pay a state license of 81, instead or
only a notary's fee of 80 or 20 cents,
as at present.
This would mean that, while the
head of a family might possess a
registered owners license, his sons,
daughters, or any other relative to
whom he might grant permission to
operate his car. would each have to
pay 81 for that privilege.
The paid operators fee is to re-
main 81 but the minimum of the
registered owners license. or fee, is
to be raised from 50 to $40.
A series of other provisions in
tended to increase the revenues from
motor-vehicles operating in the state
are also contemplated.
Among the changes in the pro-
visions of the Mearkle bill which
will make their appearance, or nom
appearance. in the new bill VIII
be those which would have prevent
ed persons incapacitated by the loss
of a leg, or an arm, from operating
a car. Other rigid provisions of
the Mearkle bill will be modified.
One of the most stringent pro-
visions of the new bill will be sew
eral to impose heavy prison SEN
tences and fines upon persons con-
victed of stealing motor vehicles or
of recklessly driving them.
Senator Buckman is now engaged
in putting the finishing touches to
the measure, a draft of which was
agreed upon after the representa-
tives of the states various motor
vehicle organizations and other in
terests had gone into the differences
of opinion held by them as to
motor-vehicle regulations in Pennsyl-
vania, which had caused some of
them to favor the original Buckman
bill, which was prepared at the in
stance of the State Highway Depart
ment. or the Mearkle bill, which
was sponsored by it's author at the
request of the State Motor Fedora
ton.
1t is believed that the new bill
will not only harmonic those diff
ferences of opinion but will be pass
ed in such form by both the Senate
and House as to be satisfactory to
all sides in the controversy.