Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1917-03-02
GET ACTION ON
IMPORTANT BILLS
LAND DEPARTMENT lNNESTIGA-
TON ACT ONE OF FAR
REACHING MEASURES.
Health Department Consolidation OPP
posed and sill Providing Paid
Commission to Handle state
Funds Passed.


Der of important bills to which the
majority. or Democratic, parry is
pledged were passed. Probably the
two most important we're the land de-
partment investigating act, approved
by the house and sent to the. COVER
nor, and the health department con-
solidation bill, which brings the sew
eral boards of examination under the
jurisdiction of the state board OF
health, together with the pure food
department.
The senate passed a new state
banking bureau act, creating paid
commission to exclusively handle the
loaning of state funds, a business
greater than that carried on by any
banking institution in the state.
Both the senate bills creating the
state banking bureau and authorizing
an investigation of the land depart
ment carry. $4,000 appropriations.
| The land department measure author
ICES the state auditor, under the SUI
pervision of the land board, to probe
the records Of the land department
from the time the state was admitted
into the Union until January /. 1917,
and to equip it with a proper system
of bookkeeping.
| The banking bureau bill was intro
duced by the committee on banks and
banking on February 81. It creates
commission of three at salary Of
SO, 900 per annum to take charge of
/ the state school and other funds of
the state and loan them, thereby TAX
Ing this power from the land board.
The health department bill consol-
dates under the board of health, the
pure food department, board of medi-
cal examiners, board of osteopathic
examiners, bureau of vital statistics,
in one department.
One county division bill was defeat
ed, It sought to create under an en-
abling act the county OF Nampa out
of part of Canyon and Ada counties.
The vote stood 33 against to 81 for.
A series of important educational
bills were passed on February q, the
most important Of which changes the
present system of 1evying taxes. 1t
Is house bill No. Est. giving to the
county commissioners of each county,
Instead of the school district trustees,
the power to fix a tax levy to raise
funds for school purposes. This
change is intended to bring about a
more equal distribution of taxes.
Boise, Idaho.-After one of the most
bitter fights the state senate has seen
since the legislature opened. the house
workmen's compensation bill, intro
duced by Representatives Bates, Lehr-
bias and Grice was killed on February
"a, by being indefinitely postponed
The vote to kill stood twenty to four
teen. This measure was the so-called
labor bill, and called for compulsory
workmen's compensation. It's defeat
leaves but one bill of the same nature
pending in the legislature, or the Rock
well elective workmen's compensation
act. This bill is assured of passage
as 1t has the backing of the Repub1i
cans and five Democratic senators
who refused to stand behind the Bates
bill. When 1t is sent to the house oil
representatives a deadlock over its
passage may result.
The house of representatives passeS
the most important bill pending IN tn,
legislature on February "a, when it ap
proved the 81, 00O. 900 bond issue Sc
providing for the building of goot
roads in the state. This act will maxi
available for road construction II
Idaho during the next two years
grand total of 81 $50, 900, OF which 81
0OO, 900 will be raised by the state
s.. $50 900 raised by the counties. $685.
900 from the federal post road act an
1885,, 900 from the forest service. /
means the most promising era of goo
road building in the history OF Idaho
The state bond issue is apnortionei
as follows: Panhandle. $4,000; Boz
ner and Boundary counties, $50, 900
north Pacific highway. SIS. 600: mort
and south highway. $375.OO0; idaho
Montana highway. 100000: Idaho-Ps
cific highway. $3.50. 900; yeIlowston
!. highway SIS. 900: Tdaho-utah highwa,
$4,000.
The senate created the Tenth jud
cial district. 20 be formed out of Ne
Perez, Idaho and Lewis counties. b
passing house bill No. IS. by Giles. 0
February "a, and at the same tim
passed house bill No. IL. by Welsl
giving to the Seventh judicial distrit
an additional Judge.
It is understood that the governC
will approve both bills.
The advertising OF intoxicatiT
liquors in Idaho is made a misd
, meanor under the terms OF a bill |
troduced in the lower house OF the lie
: islature. the bill gorbids publisher
! OF. newspapers and periodicals fro
:. carrying liquor advertising and pr
htbits bilIbord owners from postil
pictures and signs for liquor houses.
Senator L. L. Evans has introduc
' q bill creating q state land bank.
. handle the securities and cash of q
. state land board. The purpose OF Q