Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-03-02
GET ACTION ON
IMPORTANT BILLS
LAND DEPARTMENT INvESTiGA-
TON ACT ONE OF FAR
REACHING MEASURES.
Health Department Consolidation OPP
posed and Bill Providing Paid
Commission to Handle State
Funds Passed.

Der of important bills to which the
majority. or Democratic, party is
| pledged were passed. Probably the
two most important were 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 a 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 ssu-
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. 1t creates
a 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 consoli-
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. 1t 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 81, the
most important of which changes the
present system of levying taxes. 1t
is house bill No. PSI, 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
bas 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 |
workmens 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 it has the backing of the Republi |
cans and five Democratic senators |
who refused to stand behind the Bates |
bill. When it is sent to the house OF |
a deadlock over its
passage may result.
The house OF representative passed |
the most important bill pending IN. the |
on February "a, when it APP
proved the s1,00OO00 bond issue set
for the building of good |
roads in the state. This act Will make
available for road construction in
Idaho during the next two years
grand total of s2.75O.0O0, of which ST.
100000 will be raised by the state,
81 100000 raised by the counties, $685.
600 from the federal post road act and
s135. 600 from the forest service. 1t
means the most promising era of good
road building in the history of Idaho.
The state bond issue is apportioned
as follows: Panhandle, $4,000; Bon
ner and Boundary counties, $4,000;
north Pacific highway, $4,000; north
and south highway, s375,000; idaho
Montana highway, $4,000; Idaho-Pa-
,ific highway, 100000; Yellowstone
highway, 5000; Idaho-Utah highway,
100000
Inc senate CTedteu Tue leutu Juu1-
,ial district, to be formed out of Nez
Perce, Idaho and Lewis counties, by
passing house bill No. Is, by Giles, on
February "a, and at the same time
passed house bill No. -, by Welsh,
giving to the Seventh judicial district.
IN additional judge.
It is understood that tho governor
will approve both bills.
The advertising of intoxicating
liquors in Idaho is made a misde- |
neanor under the terms of bill in |
reduced in the lower house Of the leg /
stature. The bill forbids publishers {
If newspapers and periodicals from {
carrying liquor advertising and pro- ,
libits billbord owners from posting ,
pictures and signs for liquor houses.
Senator L. L. Evans has introduced !