The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-22
Representative Martin Issues
Book on Kansas Legislation.
Would Create Commission To
Pass on New Laws.
SUBMIT BILLS MONTH EARLY
Limit Legislation To Consider
alton of 100 Measures.
Each Member Is Allowed Only
One Local Bill.

Creation commission or committee to
pass on proposed laws.
Submission bills to commission month In
advance of opening of session.
Recess consideration bills by commission
Limit general legislation to consideration
100 bills.
Limit local bills to one for each member.
All bills to be introduced as committee
measures.
All measures introduced at opening of
Consideration Of all bills on floor both
houses.
Frank L. Martin of Hutchinson,
member of the Kansas house of rep
resentatives during the last three ses-
sions, will propose some sweeping leg
islatiye reforms in a book which he
will publish in few weeks. Martin
will urge restriction in the introduce
ton of proposed laws. He will also
urge that a commission or committee
from the house and senate pass on all
bills before they are offered for con-
sideration.
The Martin plan aims at freak leg
islation and the passage of useless
laws. He would make no restriction
in the number of bills which may be
presented to the joint committee for
consideration. Yet his plan would limit
each session to consideration of 100
general bills and not more than one
local measure from each legislator.
Many member might propose and re-
ceive consideration of such bill of local
character as he desires enacted into
law.
Martins new plan will be offered as
a substitute for the many proposals
flor legislative reform in Kansas. tThe
Reno member is a sworn enemy of
useless and freaky legislation. He is
| opposed to a, constitutional convention
without Limitation and restriction as to
its operations. But he believes the
state needs a more comprehensive and
workable system of law making. His
proposals will be discussed in a book
which he will publish and which will
| contain conclusions which he has
| reached as a result of work as a mem
Der of three state legislatures.
Bills to a Committee.
| Under the plan proposed by Martin
all measures brought to the attention
| of the legislature would be offered as
| committee bills. They might be the
| original proposals of members or re-
drafted bills presented covering the
| same subject matter. Members of the
commission would be named from the
| membership of the two houses and
| would be selected late in November or
| early in December. They would be al
| lowed a month in which to carefully
consider all bills. Appropriation meas
| ures, however, might be handled in
!
| tom.
All bills approved by the committee
would receive consideration on the
floor of the house and senate. The
bills would be presented at the open
| ing of the session and ample time
would be allowed for a thoro discus
sion of proposed new laws.
| after three sessions of the state
| legislature I am convinced that the
| state needs a more comprehensive
method of law making" said Martin.
| There are far too many bills pre-
| occupy unne eessary time. On the
other hand many bills of vital i'm
portance are hastily considered or
| waved aside entirely in the closing
days of a session in Topeka.
| No Freak Legislation.
There should be some organization
| and system about the matter. 4 be-
lieve a carefully selected commission
| or committee from the house and
senate could pass on all proposed laws
and report at the opening of the ses-
/ sion. This would give time for due
consideration of all matters. The state
| would know just what laws were un-
der consideration when the session
opened and the needs of the state
would be better served than under
the present system when the legisla
ture attempts to consider 1000 oil
1900 bills at single session. Freak
and useless legislation would be over
come and the state would settle dowr
to the passage of sane and practical
| laws"
| Martin is one of the veteran Sew.
enth district lawyers. In 1917 he wa.
chairman of the house judiciary com
mittee and is regarded as one of the
most able attorneys in western Kan.
sas. His proposal for a change in tbs
state legislative system will doubles:
attract general attention and discus
sion in the state. Should his PROPOSE
ton receive sufficient endorsement &
demand may be made before the Re
publican party council in 1920 for &
platform plank advocating a reform
in the law making policies and meth