The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-02-19
many Bills now
BEFORE SENATORS
FOR CONSIDERATION
Speaking on Loan Shark Bill,
Fowler Says They Charge
AZ Per Cent Interest

A bill aimed to eliminate loan
sharks" by regulating and licensing
the business Of small loans passed the
North Dakota senate Wednesday by
a 81 to 10 vote. Under the bill, small
loan firms would be licensed by the
state examiner, and would be prohib-
tied from charging more than IL per
cent interest q year on loans under
$1,000.
Senator A. w. Fowler, Cass county,
in urging favorable action on the
measure claimed that some small
loan firms in Fargo were charging as
high as 47h per cent interest. He
stated the loan shark" evil had been
met successfully In several states by
enactment of legislation similar to
the bill before the legislature. The
proposal embodies recommendations
by the voluntary banking code COM
mission, which urged that small loan
companies be regulated.
A measure defining the practice Of
law was defeated by the senate by a
% to 20 vote, the lawyers Of the as
sembly sustaining from voting on the
bill. Under the bill banks would be
prohibited from charging a fee for
drawing up papers.
Senator Dell Patterson of Renville
county led the opposition to the bill,
claiming that lawyers sought to es-
tablish a monopoly on all legal bust
ness. Senator Ole Ettestad Of Nc
Henry contended the measure was
class legislation. Efforts were made
to place q "clincher" motion on the
senate's action on the proposal. but
this was debated.
The senate approved a concurrent
resolution providing for q constitu-
tional amendment to require 10000
signatures on petitions to initiate
amendments to the constitution. The
proposal originally provided that Co.
600 signatures Of electors be neces-
sary for initiation Of constitutional
amendments, but the figure was re-
duced in committee to 10000.
A concurrent resolution by Senator
w. E. Martin of Morton county, pro-
viding for establishment by the state
of bulk and retail oil stations to OBJ
tain additional revenue for highway
purposes was indefinitely postponed
by the committee On state affairs,
and the committee action approved
by the senate. He told the senate
the purpose Of the proposal was to
relieve taxpayers from burdensome
taxation.
1.-The people are under a heavy
burden of taxation" he said. 1.-The
highway department is asking for
more money, but if the state took
over gas stations, we could dispense
with the four-cent gas tax. If the
highway commission doesn't come
through and give better service, this
proposition will be put before the
people,"
Approval was given by the senate
to a bill changing the assessment
date to May / instead Of April l.
Another bill passed provides that
public warehousemen operating more
than one warehouse In a city, town
or village, may operate under one
license.
The senate adopted a committee
report to indefinitely postpone a
by Senator J. H.. Burkhart
of Ward county to put teeth" in the
law prohibiting smoking in public
dining rooms.
Recently the senate defeated a bill
to repeal the anti-smoking act. this
action being followed by the intro
duction of Senator Burkhart's meas
ure.
The senate state affairs committee
Wednesday recommended for pas
sage a measure which would require
mothers to be residents of a county
for 18 months previous to making ap-
plication for mothers pensions. The
original bill provided that the pres
ent limit of one year be increased to
three years, but the committee
amended the measure. A similar
measure was killed in the house.