The Coconino sun., 1925-01-30
Happenings IN the State
Legislature This Week

That the state corporation commits
sion be abolished was the recommen-
dation of Governor Hunt in a special
message to the state legislature a few
days ago.
The governor suggested that in its
place the legislature establish com
mission or board or designate an of
ficer to perform the duties now con-
ferred by the constitution upon the
corporation commission.
The house committee on banking
and insurance reported adversely oil
the bill reducing the legal rate of in
terest from 10 to per cent
The bill for the admission of women
on equal terms to positions of admin
istrators or executors of estates was
passed by unanimous vote.
House Bill 40, by Erwin of Gila
would amend the law relating to jur-
ors and witnesses, fixing the mileage
of jurors at 10 cents, though when
over transportation route whose
charge is greater than that the juror
shall be allowed his actual expenses.
Senate bill by Donnelly would create
the Arizona state school for the deaf,
dumb and blind. There is already such
school but it is department of the
university, from which it is proposed
to detach it. The attendance Of those
SO afflicted is made compulsory. There
will be state truant officer to see
that such children are sent to the
school,
The Valentine measure in the house
providing for free text books in the
| high schools of the state brought an
adverse report by the house commit
tee.
Suspension of all grazing fees on
national forests during the next two
years was asked in joint memorial to
congress introduced in the Arizona
senate by Senator Favour.
Representative Skinner introduced
bill providing that the general ap-
preparation for common and high
| school purposes in the state during
the fiscal year be not less than $35
for each child in attendance.
Representative Bradshaw introduced
i bill providing for the issuance of
refunding bonds by counties, school
districts and municipalities to take up
their bonded indebtedness.
llltGONu(Gu
better protection Of garages and
others engaged in renting storage bat
teries against theft and the deface
ment Of designations showing that the
batteries are rented.
For New Civil Code
The most important measure of the
session, and in all likelihood there
will not be another of equal import
ance was Introduced by Senator FL
liott for the reorganization Of the
government Of the state so far as
it can be reorganized without radi
cal changes in the constitution. 1t
provides a complete civil code, an inn
portant feature, following the Michi-
gan code.
The bill provides for leveling and
j somewhat different distribution of
! power 1t abolishes the present board
of directors of state institutions and
creates another board composed of
the nine elective officers of the state,
including the two elective commits
sions, though each of the commissions
1 is allowed a single vote. The COVER
nor is the chairman of the board and
his secretary is its secretary. No act
of the board becomes effective with
out the approval of the governor, but
five members of the board can veto
an order Of the governor. While thus,
the governor is given voice IN the
affairs of elective offices and COM
missions in which he has no voice now,
the board is given voice in state in
stitutions which are now under the
exclusive control of the government.
Perhaps the most admirable fea-
ture of the bill is the provision for
a real budget What is now called
budget is nothing more than a com
pilation of the wild desires of the
heads of the various departments of
4 the government. The budget would be
under the control of a state comp
troller designated by the senate and
4 responsible to it alone. The state
comptroller would be required to be
4 certified accountant of standing. The
! bill leaves the way for the application
] of civil service to state appointees.
i In a general way the bill provides
/ for the coordination of all the depart
] ments. 1t looks to an increase of the
salaries of the elective officers, not
/ in violation of the constitution, but IN
the way of remuneration for extra
duties which they would be required
to accept There would be an inter-
/ change of clerical forces; that is,
clerks of one department would be
transferred to another in which there
would be need of their services. 1t is
claimed that the economies which
would be thus effected would offset
the increased remuneration proposed.
The bill would abolish state pur-
chasing agents, the state land com
mission and the loan commission,
vesting their duties as now prescribed
in the proposed board of state insti-
tutions.
A house bill by Grenshaw would
provide a building on the capitol
grounds for the use sof the law and
reference library, the supreme court
and the attorney general; the appoint
nent Of building commission COM
posed Of the chairman and secretary
Of the board of directors of state in
stitutions, the state librarian, the chief
justice and the attorney general. An
appropriation of 100000 is proposed
for the hrildinU and $50 900 for puuip- |