The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1918-01-11
Mass of Bills For Legislature.

Mass of Bills For Legislature.
When the new Legislature gets
down to business there will be ready
for introduction and consideration a
number of bills that have been drafted
by Attorney General Albert C. Ritchie
chiefly at the request of various depart
ments of the State government. A
summary of these is given in the an
nual report of the Attorney General,
which has just been issued. The bills
are:
Abolishing the Fifth Regiment Ar
mory Commission and creating a State
Armory Commission, composed of the
Governor, the Adjutant General and the
Comptroller, and charging them with
the management and control of all
armories owned or leased by the State.
Authorizing the Bank Commissioner
examination of State banks to be used
as the basis for admitting such institu.
tions to the Federal reserve system.
Authorizing the Bank Commissioner
to disapprove the charters of new bank
ing institutions, if the character of the
incorporators does not warrant belief
that the proposed institution will be
conducted in accordance with law, or
if the public convenience will not be
promoted thereby.
Authorizing trust companies to dis
count commercial paper.
Requiring savings institutions to re-
port unclaimed deposits every four
years.
Authorizing State BANKING institutions
admitted into the Federal Reserve sys-
tenn to maintain the reserves required
by that system.
Authorizing purchase of State sta
tionery by private contract instead of
by public bidding when the amount in
volved is less than $500.
Providing that bonds given by State
tax collectors shall have corporate sure
ties.
Requiring the State Insurance Com
missioner to account quarterly instead
of annually.
Requiring clerks of County Commiss-
ioners and of the Appeal Tax Court to
return tax assessments to the Comp
troller quarterly.
Authorizing the forfeiture of the
charters of corporations for non-pay-
ment of certain taxes.
Imposing penalties for interference
with health officers in the performance
of their duties.
Relating to the investigation of nui-
sances by local health boards.
Enlarging the health boards powers,
with respect to contagious and infec-
tious diseases.
Requiring brokers placing fire light
ing or tornado insurance in companies
| not authorized to transact business in
this State to make monthly reports. of
such policies to the insurance depart
ment.
Authorizing the insurance ,commiss-
toner's to summon witnesses, administer
oaths and require the production of
books, policies and papers in connec-
tion with examinations, hearings and in
vestigations.
Valuing certain policies issued after
December 81, 1918, upon the American
experience table of mortality and l 2
per cent.
Providing for the inspection of steam
boilers throughout the State. The
present law only provides for such in
| spection in Baltimore city. ..
Making more stringent the laws
regulating the hours of labor for fe-
| males.
Amending the laws relating to the
employment of minors, the principal
changes being to raise the minimum
| age of children employed in canneries
from IL to ID years, and authorizes
children over IA to receive temporary
permit to work under certain conditions.
Providing additional pay for the Sec
retary of the State Lunacy Commiss-
ion.
Revising the automobile law and
creating a traffic court for Baltimore
city.
Authorizing prisoners now confined
in the Maryland penitentary to be
transferred from that institution to the
House of Correction, when prison disci-
pline will be furthered thereby. The
present law only authorizes this as to
prisoners sentenced since October /,
1916, when the law took effect.
Amending the habeas corpus laws in
the following particulars: Requiring a
copy of the commitment to be furnish
ed representative of the prisoner
only when such representative is duly
authorized by the prisoner to get it and
when he applies thereof in person.
Requiring each application for the
writ of habeas corpus to be accompani-
ed by copy of the commitment claim
ed to be defective, and to state whether
the writ has previously been applied
for in the same case; and providing
that the court is not to grant the writ
If the application or the commitment
shows on its face that the prisoner is
not entitled to be released.