Evening star., 1942-03-15
Assembly Votes
To SET Up Rent.
Control Areas
Bill to LiberoIize
Patent Practice
Also Adopted
BY ALEXANDER 4. PRESTON,
Star Staff Correspondent.

Star Staff Correspondent.
RICHMOND, March 1.-Two
Fenwick bills authorizing the Gov
ernor to establish emergency rent
control boards and permitting out
of-State attorneys and agents to
practice before the examining divi-
sion Of the Patent once here, with
out being members of the State
bar. were among Northern Vir-
ginia legislation passed in the clos
ing hours of the General Assembly
tonight.
The House concurred in a last
minute Senate amendment to the
rent control measure which may de-
tract from its full usefulness.
The legislation authorizes the
Governor to proclaim emergency
rent control areas and appoint
boards to fix fair rent scales in the
areas.
The amendment, however, pro-
hibits establishment of emergency
areas by the Governor unless the
Federal price administrator or
other Federal rent control agency
has first declared the existence Of
an emergency area.
Fenwick Accepts Amendment.
Delegate Charles r. Fenwick Of
Arlington County accepted the
amendment He said his bill was
designed primarily to permit the
State to control rents whenever
the Federal Government makes
known its intention Of stepping in.
The Senate passed and sent to
the Governor Mr. Fenwick's Patent
Offlce bill after Senator William D.
Medley of Arlington dissuaded Sen
ator Charles w. Crowder of Rich
mond from introducing an amend
ment requiring that all persons
practicing before the Richmond
branch Of the Patent once be reg
istered attorneys.
The Senate unanimously passed
the reorganization bill of Delegate
E. B. Moore of Berryville, and the
House then concurred in amend
ments which provide for a nine
member commission of game and
inland fisheries with a director who
shall be the principal administra-
tive officer. The bill provides for
the appointment Of commissioners
and the director for a two-year
period.
Truck Taxing Method Changed.
~ Mnnrn told hn that
the Senate amendments were not
entirely satisfactory to him, but
that he believed nothing else could
be done so late, and that the plan
would be tried for at least two
years. He lad previously agreed to
sportsmen's suggestions that the.
commission be abolished and a
single administrator Of the fish
and game department be named.
The House passed several Of its
own bills to which Senate amend
ments had been added and were re-
turned for concurrence. These in
cluded:
The Fenwick-E. r. Conner bill to
tax trucks on gross weight basis
instead of the manufacturers rated
capacity.
The Fenwick bill creating eight
annual scholarships at the Medical
College of Virginia and University
of Virginia to restore the country
doctor" to rural areas.
A bill by Delegate S. D. Rodgers
of Petersburg, amended by Delegate
Robert j. McCandlish. ir.. Of Fair
fax County. raising from SIS to $25
the State appropriation to the Gen.
terville Ridge Chapter. United
Daughters of the Confederacy, for
tending Confederate graves at Gen.
terville.
The Fenwick-H 3. Davis bill to
continue the division Of aeronautics.
A bill by House Floor Leader G.
Alvin Massenburg raising the salary
bracket of the Fairfax County trial
justice. Amended by Senator Med
ley. to make possible an increase in
salary for the Prince William Coun-
ty trial justice.
Assessment Bill Killed.
The Senate yesterday killed a bill
by Delegates william Mel. Ferguson
Of Newport News and others au-
thorizing the governing groups Of
cities to provide for annual assess
ments and equalization of real estate
values. Senator Medley told the
Chamber that a special act for Alex
andria has already been signed by
the Governor. and that he therefore
had no particular interest in pass
ing the legislation.
The Upper Branch also passed
the Conner bill to pay C. c. Lynn
Of Prince William County for over
payment Of taxes.
The House voted to hold its "con-
structive session" at noon on March
% at which the speaker of the
House, president of the Senate and
a few members of each branch will
meet to sign bills passed in the
closing days of the Assembly.
Bills passed but not signed before
tonights adjournment will become
effective 80 days after the construc--
tive session, unless they contain
emergency clauses or specifically
provide for certain dates of effec-
tiveness.
The Governor has five days to
sign or veto a bill during the ses-
sion or it automatically becomes law
without his signature. After ad-
journment, the Governor must sign