Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1935-02-07
Legislative Notes

the reRuldT ickiSidtiNc PSiiou, "~
Montana house and senate may zee
the advent of many long days OF
work.
With more than 160 acts already
docketed, two-thirds Of which are in
the hands Of standing committees and
not including a score Of resolutions
and memorials, the calendar of the
house at least may call for q contin-
ual daily grind before the fourth week
of the twenty-fourth session is halt
ed.
The house committee on labor in
dealing with H. B. 81 requiring the
state to buy only union label goods
and wares. modified the easure to
provide that such purchases should
so be made whenever possible"
By a vote Of 81 to 0 the house on
third reading passed H. B. 30 by
which wives and widows of war vet
Grams who had attained the age of
80, might be admitted to the state
soldiers home at Columbia Falls.
After considerable quibbling the
house advanced for passage, H. B. 81
by which dealers in agricultural
products would be required to adver-
tise the true grade Of an article sold.
Two companion acts, H. B. "a and H.
B. SIS, were passed for the day, but
H. j. R. 3, by Fowler, for the addi-
ton of two members t. the senate
committee investigating the liquor
control board, was likewise advanced
after a somewhat heated exchange be-
tween Representative Phil Goodwin
Of Butte, who questioned the commit
tee personnel.
Repeal of the Montana liquor per-
nit system is still open to debate as
far as the state senate is concerned.
The repeater accordingly was jerked
again from general file in that body
and sent scurrying back to the com
mittee on judiciary for further study
and possible revision.
Though the upper chamber was in
session less than two hours, it trans
acted much business including the
passage of eight legislative acts.
Heading the list of approved cas-
ures was the controversial issue Of
last week, S. B. /, by which members
of the state legislature would be
barred from holding appointive state
office where the salaries or emolu-
ments from the two sources should
exceed $1,000 per annum.
Though bitterly assailed in the de-
bate, the act negotiated the senate
by a vote of 38 to Is.
The seven other acts sent on to the
house for concurrence were:
S. B. a, providing an open season
On game in Carbon county, $50; S.
B. 7, authorizing banks and other fl
nancial institutions to procure insur'
ance under the national housing act,
SAL; S. B. Is, providing the amount
of insurance TO be paid in event OF
loss, 1926; S. B. II, providing for
separate payments of water assess
ments, $50; S. B. 10, a minor amend
ment to the lame duck amendment,
$50; S. B. %, permitting liquidating
officers of closed institutions to issue
deeds, $50; S. B. %, authorizing the
destruction Of chattel mortgages after
two years, $50.
That the senate will record another
fight against total abolition of the
university chancellor system, was
seen in a report by the committee or
education several members Of which
explained they opposed the plan but
had not prepared a minority report
to the majority report for passage.
The bill which proposes the state
highway patrol has been taken from
the public safety committee and re-
ferred to the highway committee Of
the house. The highway committee
has several other measures providing
for a drivers license and similar pro-
posals, already under consideration.
The highway patrol bill is H B. SO.
1t makes the chairman of the highway
commission, the registrar of motor
vehicles and the attorney general, the
state highway patrol commission,
with authority to hire the patrol chief
and the patrolmen.
The Cusick act to reduce the cost
of motor registration would levy the
81 fee on all pleasure cars regardless
of size; would place the same fee on
trucks under one-half ton; with $40
for trucks over one ton and up to
one and one-half tons; $22.50 on
trucks Of one and one-half tons to
two tons; $3.50 over two tons and
less than three; $50 over three tons
and less than five; and 5000 for five
tons or over.
The act further proposes that all
county treasurers would retain 10 per
cen Of their registration collections,
and that of the remainder in coun-
ties Of $4,000, so per cent would go
to the Getty road fund"
Under terms of the gas tax bill,
effective January /, next, every deal
err would be required to pay one cent
per gallon for all fuel sold except
that which is exempt. In this bill
provision is made for distribution of
the revenue to the counties on the