The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-03-07
Legislative Notes


assembly nearing it's close many Of
more than 400 bills introduced have
been discarded through the efforts of
an expert steering committee, who
are advancing only major bills in an
effort to complete all legislation by
the closing date, March T.
Almost unique in legislative annals
was the handling in the Montana |
house of representatives last week of
the hydro-electric tax bill which was
saved virtually through the vote of Its
opponents. As it appeared in the floor
of the house it provided for per
cent tax on gross revenues, 90 per
cent increase over the current rate OF
* of per cent. Amended on the floor
the tax rate was cut to l per cent and
thus the bill was advanced for pas
sage.
The first constitutional amend
ment passed by the house this session
was II. B. Ia, which if approved by the
senate and the governor, and finally
the electorate in 1886, the voters OF
Montana would adopt or reject plan
whereby the legislature might fix the
hours of labor in all industries. The
amendment further provides that the
law making body may reduce the
working day to less than eight hours
if it sees fit.
Fowler's chain store tax bill WAS
approved after considerable discus
sion. AS amended the bill calls for
tax Of $500 on each store over five n
chain, instead of the original Sb15.
Efforts to amend the bill to include
meat market chains, gas station
chains, lumber yard chains, and grain
elevator chains, all of which are IN
cluded in the law now on the statute
books, failed. Stevens motion to put
the proceeds into the old-age pension
| fund failed, and Groene's motion to
make the revenue derived substitute
for a property tax, also failed. As
amended the bill is estimated TO yleld
| $4,000 year.
The senate has placed it's final and
definite approval on an act which
would prohibit entertainment or dane
ing in places where 80 beer Is dis
pensed. BY the topheavy vote Of 80
to Is, chat deliberative body passed
measure banning all form OF enter
tainment or dancing from resorts,
cafes and rathskellers where beer Is
ouaffed. FURTHERMORE the act provides
that patrons of such places cannot De
afforded easy access by doors to ad-
Joining rooms where they might find
recreation on the dance floor.
By vote Of 46 10 40, the house
passed H. B. 10, one OF three high
way patrol plans under consideration
during the eleventh-hour crush. The
measure, sponsored by Minette OF ella
cier ,41d Moss Of Flathead, provides
for creation OF patrol under the jur
isdiction of the Montana highwa,
commission with the ALLEGATION OF ap
proximately $4,000 year in highWa,
funds for its support, this sum to b
repaid by drivers license fees ant
fines and forfeitures in highway NO
lation cases. 1t provides also, for
force OF not more than 80 patrolmen
One OF the most important OF thu
constitutional amendments, II. 3.
providing for tax exemption OF resi-
Dental real estate up to $4,000, wen
to the senate with vote OF 70 to ~
Tt embodies a plan advocated by Gov
ernor Cooney in his biennial legisla
tive message.
The series Of other utility bill
drafted and introduced at the behes
Of the public service commission en-
countered but little opposition O
third reading.
They included measures to plac
natural gas pipe lines under the Juria
diction Of the commission; TO requir
the making Of statements under oatn
relating to safety precautions; pen
hitting appeals to the commission 0
motor carrier insurance cancellations
prescribing the powers OF the CON
mission in the event Of accidents; r.
latine to the duty Of the commisslo
in determining rates; providing ths
county attorneys should assist tn
y commission in certain railway case
Acts providing for a central a.
counting system carried IA to ID, ar
one for a state advisory council VIZ
approved, ST to 20.
The senate passed the bill embra
ar ing the recommendations Of the sp
n. cial committee which investigated u
10 state liquor control administration.
4 1t was the substitute for the subst
t,rte for H. B. 8. 1t recommends
among other things, limiting the nun
Der of state stores to l25, only II
more than are in existence now.
The date for the mock session
the legislature has been changed fro
Feb. 27 TO March 5. 1t will be held
the Shrine auditorium, and will
open to the public. Heretofore, the
fair has been held in the hall OF t
house and there has never been sea
mo snace enough for those who WIS