The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-02-23
COMPENSATION ACT
PASSED BY HOUSE
MEASURE ADOPTED AFTER ALL
DAY DEBATE BY VOTE OF
as TO 20.
New Compensation Act Appears in
Senate, it Being Claimed Enough
Votes Have Been Pledged to
Pass it.

Boise, Idaho.-The house of repre-
sentatives on February II passed the
Bates-Lehrbus-Grice workn,en's COM
pulsory compensation act, generally
tons measure, following an all-day
debate, by a vote of As to 20. At the
same session and on request of its
author, Representative Ernest Ander-
son of Canon county, the house killed,
by indefinite postponement, the So
called Anderson elective compensation
act.
Bitterness crept into the long de-
bate as it reached a climax Just be-
fore passage of the bill.
While the house was debating the
Bates and Anderson bills there ap-
peared in the senate a new compen-
sation act backed by Senator Rock
we'll of Blaine county, Senator Ran
dali of Nezperce and three Demo
Gratis, Senators Bradbury, Evans and
Harding. 1t is an elective act, throw
fng open to employer and employee
alike all sources of compensation. A
commission of three, each commits
sioner assigned to a district, to take
charge of administering its terms at
a salary of $4,000 per annum. For
death from $25 to $65 per- month is
paid the heirs for a period of seven
years. For total and partial disabil-
ity of an employee the rate of com
pensation is equal to 65 per cen of
the salary received by the disabled
employee. Employers may elect what
compensation they desire. State in
surance compensation is. provided.
The compensation bin is not to be.
come effective until January. 1918. An
appropriation of $3.50 0 is carried to
put it in force and effect A com
~pensation bill providing for state in
surance creates the office of compen
sation commissioner to administer the
state insurance and an appropriation
Of $25, 900 goes with the measure
Enough votes are said to be pledged
in the senate to pass the bill
Boise, Idaho. The final a~ppropria
ton bill for the present legislative ses
sion made its appearance in the house
of representatives on February Is, cal
rying a grand total of 1868, 725, Will
the senate reversed its action on TIL
Portneuf county division bill, which i
defeated on the previous day, recon
sidered the vote and passed and sen
it to the governor.
At the same session the senat'
passed the Payette county division bill
attaching thereto an enabling act. TIL
vote by which the Portneuf division
bill, which divides Bannock county an,
names Downey as the county seat
was passed, 10 to Is. There was no
a dissenting vote against the Payett
measure, which will create a new coun
ty out of Canyon, with Payette as tn,
county seat.
The totals carried by the general ar
preparations bill are slightly reviseI
over the budgets which department
recommended, some of them benz
scaled down and others revised UP
wards. They are as follows: Stat
treasurer, $36,400; state engineer, SOL
900; mine inspector, $4,000; Ian,
board, s120,S20; public utilities con
mission, 500, $50; farm market bureau
$4,000; state veterinarian, $4,000
pure food department, 100000; stat
horticultural inspector, $780, 900; stat
board of health, $24,305; distrlc
courts, $172, 500; capitol building an,
grounds, $4,000; travelling library
$4,000; Lava Hot springs, $4,000.
The senate on February Is passel
the Hill memorial to congress, askin
that sufficient funds be appropriate,
to clear out the channel of the Snak
river at Lorenzo to care for the floo
waters in the Jackson lake reservoir
which are used for irrigation purposes
Damage to land along the shores !
done by the flood waters.
Bills were introduced in the senat
on February Is revising the primar
law so that county candidates are non
mated at county primaries and at tn
same time delegates are elected t
state conventions to nominate cand
dates for state offices. The bill is b
Senator Evans, a Democrat.
Senator Mitchell introduced a bi
providing long time loans to endoV
ment funds of the state on the amol
~tization plan. A corrupt practice &C
was also introduced.
In the house there appeared a bi
by Kribs that aims to regulate auto
mobile lights and prevent accident
from their glare. The rays of the ligh
cannot exceed forty-two inches fro1
the ground at a point fifty feet fror
the car, by the terms of the bill. Al
other bill takes from chauffeurs thei
license when they violate the spec
laws, and a third appropriates $50 90
for the erection of a suitable munl
ment in memory of Frank Steiner
berg, assassinated governor of Idaho
A bill by Alfred and Johnson al
thorizes peace officers arresting PEI
sons for violating the prohibition law
to seize and confiscate automobiles
boats, vehicles and horses used in tn
transportation of intoxicating liquors
as well as suitcases and trunks.