Evening star., 1946-02-20
Virginia House
May Vote Today
On Election Bill
Budget Measure
Is Next Scheduled
For Delegate Action
BY the Associated Press

01S11MoNO, Nd., reDTudTy ~
The House of Delegates may reach
q final vote today on proposed elec-
ton law reform and the $319017,-
865 biennial appropriation bill.
The suffrage reform program,
after a two-hour discussion yester-
day, was continued as a special
order when the House reconvened
today. and the budget was scheduled
next.
The Appropriations Committee
made a net increase of $902, 2,06l in
outlays for the two years beginning
July /, compared with the original
recommendations submitted by Gov.
Darden before he retired from office
January 16. Revisions left only $10,-
934 of the estimated revenues for
the biennium not specifically ear
marked.
The House passed bill to give the
localities an additional $500,0O0 from
State loquor profits, reducing the
States revenues by similar amount.
A bill is pending to give the local
tiles also two-thirds of the State
beer tax revenues, which would have
the effect of diminishing the State's S
yearly income by $3,800,000.
Major Bills on Calendar.
However, there are other measures
pending to raise the State income
tax, levy crown tax on soft drinks,
and make other revisions in the tax
structure with the view of increas-
ing the States revenue.
Other major bills on the House
calendar include the anti-pollution
bill, bill recommended by Gov.
Tuck to place small loan rates under
the regulation of the Corporation
Commission, and the Governors
road tax program, which includes an
increase in the gasoline tax from
S to 6 cents a gallon and abolition
of the 2 per cent gross receipts tax
on truck carriers.
Nominations of IL judges for new
terms starting February l, 1947, or
thereabouts, will be considered by a
Democratic caucus tonight.
Only uncontested judgeships are
due for consideration. Eleven of the
nominations are for 8-year terms
and include H. w. Bertram, Harri-
sonburg, 25th Circuit, and j. r. H.
Alexander, Leesburg, 26th Circuit.
Annexation Bill Passed.
Yesterday the House neatly wrap
ped up the highly controversial
propositions of annexation and
State Supreme Court sessions and
forwarded them to the Senate.
Without debate and scarcely a
raised voice, delegates passed, "a to
"a, the bill by j. j. Williams, Hen
rico, limiting a city's annexation of
territory to 10 per cent of a coun-
tvs real estate values within any To-
year period. The vote was almost
down the line on county VS.. city,
basis.
With an equal lack of oratory,
the House approved A to IS the
Stuart B. Campbell bill, which
would require the Supreme Court
to meet twice year in Staunton
and Wytheville, as we'll as Rich
mond. That is just the opposite of
provisions of proposed constitu-
tional amendment, which the House
killed two weeks ago.
Along with passage of seven
other bills, these matters prefaced
consideration of the Campbell Suf-
frage Commissions legislation,
which was discussed for two hours
and continued until this morning.
Senate Session Quiet.
The Senate, waiting for arrival of
major legislation from the House,
whipped through a quiet session
that brought approval to a joint
resolution providing for a Virginia
commission to restudy with Mary
land representatives a 1785 compact
between the two States for regula-
ton of the mutual interests in the
Potomac and Lower Chesapeake
Bay.
The House passed more than a
dozen Senate bills and sent them
to the Governor Among them were
five bills by Senators Bird, Minter
and Neff, authorizing the State De-
partment of Public Welfare to set
up a Statewide system of homes
for the INDECENT; the Brock-Bird-
Hagood bill, creating Virginia
Science Commission and providing
for use of the State Finance Build
ing as a museum; the Robinette
bill, putting all of Lee County in
the Eastern time belt; Clarke bill,
authorizing Alexandria to establish
a system of pensions and death
benefits for city employees; Hillard
bill, enlarging the Highway Com
missions authority to build side
walks, and the Goode bill, placing
de Jarnette Sanatorium at Staunton
directly under the State Hospital
Board.
Sent to the Senate was a meas
ure raising from IS to 100 per cent
the amounts which may be bor-
rowed from the State literary fund
for county school building projects
The House also approved two bills
by John B. Spiers, including wine
and beer in local merchants and
restauranteurs' license taxes.
Arrange Churchill Visit.
The Senate initiated formal ar
rangements for the visit of former
Prime Minister Winston Churchill,
March 8, by adoption of a joint res
olution of Senators Brock and Battle
calling for a committee of IL to ar
range Mr.. Churchill's reception. In
cluded on the committee will be the
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, the
Speaker of the House, three Sena-
tors and four Delegates.
Arlington Bill Approved.
A number of bills of prime i'm
portance to localities gained ap-
proval of the Senate Committee on
Counties, Cities and Towns yester-
day.
Included was the Medley Senate
bill which would allow Arlington to
establish pension and retirement
board for police and fireman. An
other bill to provide the retirement
of Arlington employees was intro
duced yesterday.
The retirement board would con-
sist of five members. Employees
would be retired with pay after
Serving 80 years, or those 65 years
~ ooe could he rofirad offar oS