The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-08
Italian Aid Committee Sponsoring Popular Charity Ball
Local Legislators Planning
 For Coming General Assembly
Meeting of Senators Next Week Prelude to Formal
 Opening

Democratic members or the Sen- ate will meet Friday, December 16, at Hartford for purpose of choosing leaders of their group of IT in the upper house of the general assem- ply which may prove to be the mil nority faction, however, should two Socialist senators form coalition with the 16 Republicans.
 At the meeting called by Demo- cratic State Chairman J. Francis Smith, consideration will be given the program of legislation reported by the Legislative Council to Gov ernor Wilbur L. Cross, as well as other legislation which some mem- bers have in mind.
 Senator elect Edward P. Egan, of Waterbury, starts his first term in the General Assembly the first of the year but Senator George T. Gull hane is one of two Democratic Sen- ators beginning third terms. Repre- sentative Daniel J. Mahaney will start his fifth term in the house and Representative Hugo L. Guastaferri, his first.
 The caucus of the Democrats in the house will be called shortly but meanwhile all members of the next general assembly are studying the report of the legislative council.
 Reorganization
 Texts of 49 bills, two of which call for complete reorganization of the department of agriculture and the military department, were turned in to Governor Cross by the council in a 155-page printed report. Some of the bills deal only with clarification of existing laws.
 But the change advocated in the agriculture department would merge all administrative agricultural activ- ities under one head; the functions of the present commissioners of ag- riculture, domestic animals, dairy and food, the milk administrator and the board of milk regulation would be directed by single com missioner of agriculture to be ap- pointed by the governor, with the consent of both houses of the general assembly. He would have one deputy and directors of the several divisions including administration, marketing. animal diseases and inspection.
 A new board with policy -determ- ming powers would be created by this recommendation
 The report includes a bill which would change the tenure of the ad- jutant-general from life appoint ment to six years, the appointment to be made by the governor with consent of the senate. The bill would abolish the armory board, the armory inspector and the office of quartermaster-general, these duties to be undertaken by the adjutant- general.
 Licensing
 Creation of new department of Professional and Vocational Licen- sing is purpose of another bill which would combine clerical func- t1onS of 21 examining and licensing boards under an executive secretary to be named by the governor, with consent of the senate, for a four year term at salary of 5000 a year. The bill would not affect personal functions of the various boards. however, so far as determination of qualifications of licenses or conduct of these licenses after being lic- ensed.
 Seen as outgrowth of the two grand jury affairs at Waterbury and Bridgeport, are two bills dealing with matters forming basis of the investigations stipulated. One bill requires municipalities to present current fiscal budgets to the state budget director for examination be- fore legislative approval of local bond issues can be obtained. The budget director is authorized to make recommendations to the fin- ance committee of the assembly to prevent abuse of the bond. issue privilege.
 The second bill in this category establishes three-man commission to be named by the governor, to settle disputes over right-of-way purchases for trunk line and state aid highways. The commission can set amounts for disputed claims and fix values of property and rights sought by the state without con- demnation proceedings being msti- tuted.
 Merit System
 Slight changes in the Merit Sys- tenn Act are provided by three of the bills, one reducing the number of titles under classification by the personnel director from 300 to about 600; another bill provides that any employe appointed since the act went into effect in May, 1887, with out a personnel department exam nation shall not be entitled to a place on the unemployment list without taking qualifying exam nation, if he should leave the serv- ice for any reason; the third bill ex- empts teachers of the blind and in the department of education from the classified service.
 Merging of various functions of state employees under single title T--KE- -.