Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-14
DISTRICT BILLS
GIVEN APPROVAL
Senate Committee Votes to
Tighten Gambling Laws,
Provide Taxi Regulation.

The Senate District committee yester-
day afternoon approved bills to tighten
the gambling laws of the District and
to require all taxicab owners to carry
insurance or other form of financial
responsibility, but did not finish con-
sideration of the bill for a reduced fare
also affirmed action taken at previous
meeting in authorizing Chairman
Capper to report the street railway
merger resolution to the Senate.
The gambling bills were drafted by
Senator Robson, Republican, of Ken
lucky, in consultation with the police
and district attorneys Office, and would
do the following things: Extend the
paddock law to cover gambling estab-
lishmentS: increase the penalties for
permitting gaming; broaden the defini-
ton of gambling to include the num-
bers game" and establish a penalty for
persons found frequenting gambling
establishments. ...,.,.....
Taxicab Measure Outlined.
The financial responsibility plan for
taxicabs was originally part OF Senator
Cappers bill to give the Utilities Com
mission general authority over taxicab
operation, including rates. Senator
Robson recommended that the measure
be confined to the requirement of
financial responsibility, since there was
general agreement on that part OF the
bill This course was followed. The
! taxicab operators under the bill would
have to satisfy the commission of their
ability to meet damage claims by carry
ing insurance or giving bond.
The reduced fare for scioolchildren
on street cars and buses, as passed by
the House, was limited to public school
children. Senator Tydings, Democrat
of Maryland, offered an amendment
Yesterday to have it apply to children
| attending. all schools, but Senator
Robson Questioned whether the legisla-
| ton could go beyond the public schools
and opposed the amendment. senator
| Robson commended that if the reduced
| fare bill could be applied to private
| schools the same principle could be ad-
vanced with regard to free text books.
Quotes Law in Other Cities.
Senator Tydings said that in other
| cities the reduced fare for children is
based on the age of the child without
distinction as to what school Is attend
ed. other committee members present
| indicated the Tydings amendment was
| acceptable to them but a question de-
veloped as to presence of quarum, and
the measure was left for another
| meeting.
John J. Noonan, sponsoring the re-
duced fare bill, made another plea FOL
its enactment. John H. Hanna, presi-
dent of the Capital Traction Co, esti'
mated, in response to a question BY
committee members, that the bill woulc
affect the revenues of that company by
about $4,000 a year officials of the
Washington Railway 81 Electric Co. also
we're present. Senator Tydings sug-
gested the bill should be considered
again. Mr. Noonan expressed the belle
the increase In the number of children
riding would tend to reduce the loss IL
7 revenue.
other committee members who tool
| part in consideration of the various bill!
at Yesterdays meeting were Senator
I Capper of Kansas, Jones Of Washing
J ton, Copeland Of New York and Glas
Of Virginia.