The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-20
TO CLOSE
Lid on New Bills in Legislature
Goes on Tonight.
Total IntrOductiOns VIII Be Be-
tween 1900 and 1900.
VERY FEW FREAK MEASURES
Il Hundred New Proposals Are
Scheduled for Today.
Two Houses Te Begin Holding
Longer Sessions Next Week.

Kansas legislators who expect to re-
form the state or to remodel her es-
tablished system of government. must
get basy All original bills must be
in the house and senate hoppers when
the whistle blows tonight. The reso-
luton, which was adopted several days
ago, has inspired a season of bill writ
ing among members of both houses.
Today, tho. will probably see the heav-
lest introduction of the winter More
than 100 new bills will doubtless be
introduced during the day.
Even with today's heavy introduce
tion it is probable that the 1919 leg
isIature has reached a new record in
the limited number of proposed
changes in the state law. The goo
stuff has been confined to a few mem
berS from the extreme western coun-
ties who came to Topeka for the ses-
sion and were shocked and horr1fled
at the sin and iniquity of town lie
Viewed as the work of session, there
have been few of the usual freak and
silly legislative proposals. The aggre-
gate number of bills when introduce
ton ceases tonight will also be close
to a record.
Between 1900 and 1900 bills will
be in the hands of legislative officers
when adjournment comes this evening.
When the two houses met this morn
ing, there were just 1,124 bills on the
records. Allowing for 100 new bills
today, the seasons record will fall
thirty per cent short of the showing of
1917, when nearly 1900 bills had been
introduced when the lid was clamped
down.
Probably 100 committee bills will
come before. the legislature after to-
day. These bills will be permitted II
they carry an appropriation. But the
resolution which is effective tonight
declares that no bills other than APP
preparation measures shall be present.
ed at the reading clerks desk after
today. =
500 Bills in Committees.
Nearly 500 bills are now tied up in
the various committee rooms. An eff
fort will be made to resurrect most of
these measures within the next ten
days Even tho the bills are reported
from the committees there is but a
bare chance for many of the measures
to reach third reading or to come
within flirting distance of the session
laws. Revision committee work fol-
lows the introduction of bills~and the
committees in charge of this impor-
tant task will push the minor bills to
the foot of the calendar and advance
the big measures to the early hearing.
Just at this time there is a prospect
that the legislature may actually go
home some time next month without
having passed a really foolish bill. The
Individual membership of the house
and senate has discouraged the intro
duction of bills that cause people to
laugh when they read of the frenzied
efforts of Kansas legislative reform.
AS result the presentation of freaky
bills has been limited to the members
who have been really inspired and
moved by deep convictions and emo
tons to put a brand of reform on the
state that would forever keep her
pure. In the main the inspiration
came when the member moved to To-
peka for the winter and found a de-
mand for reform of the after-d dinner
cigaret smoker and the vaudeville
COILS in short skirts
Introduction at Closing Hour.
Both houses will probably permit in
PRODUCTION of bills during the final
closing hour this afternoon. In the
senate this practice has been in good
form turnout the session. At almost
every change IN the order of business,
some member of the upper house has
felt moved to present few proposed
changes in the statutes. The house
under the direction of Speaker Lam
bertson has adhered rigidly to the or
der of business. 1t is probable that
Speaker Lambertson is the first house
speaker who really enforced the rule
regarding the introduction of bills. On
less than half dozen occasions have
members presented bills out of order.
Then there was always an admonition
from the chair that discouraged any
attempt to establish the wild and reck-
less habit.
With the introduction of bills out
of the way. the two legislative bodies
will next week begin holding longer
sessions. The house has already
adopted a rule providing that work
shall begin at o'clock in the morn
ing and that the whistle shall not blow
until in the evening. While no ac-
ton has been taken, it is possible that
the upper house may this week spend
Saturday in Topeka. If a vacation is
taken. however, it will be the final
short week until the session ends
No action has as yet been taken in
either house concerning date of final
adjournment.