The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-28
SOLONS DEBATING
STATE PAY hike
CONTINUED From Page One)

Ii Olll StolS kA4do WC1S A4It1O ooSS
in both houses of the General AS
sembly tonight.
Sen. R. N. Simms, Jr., of Wake,
introduced in the Senate a bill
which would increase penalties to1
driving drunk, under the influence
of liquor, narcotics or drugs.
The bill provides that a person
convicted of driving under the
influence of a narcotic, a drug or
alcohol shall be imprisoned in the
county or municipal Jail for not
less than 80 days or pay a fine OF
not less than 5000 and not more
than 81, 900, or both Imprisonment
and fine"
The bill also states that for a
second conviction of driving "un-
der influence" that the defendant
shall be punished by serving not
less than 80 days in the county or
municipal jail or more than two
years and by a fine of not less
than 5000 and not more than $4,000.
The Simms bill also would change
the law governing the revocation
of drivers licenses to make re-
issuance period two years, instead
Of one as is the current laW.And
if convicted a second time for
driving under influence" not to-
reissue the license.
A bill introduced in the house
by Rep. John O. Gum of Caswell
county would appropriate $11,000,-
900 from the general fund for the
program with 81, 900, 900 earmark
ed for the purchase of school buses
and the remaining $10,0oO,O 900 to
be used for the construction, re-
pair and expansion of school plant
facilities.
Senator D. L. Ward of Craven
sent forward a bill in the Senate
which would provide for an i'm
mediate appropriation of $40, 900
900 and a contingent appropriation
of an additional SIS, 600, 900 during
the coming biennium Of the states
general fund should continue to
collect surplus revenues.
Gum was the author of a reso-
luton in the 1945 general assembly
under which a committee of the
state board of education was dl-
rected to make a study of the
school building needs of the coun-
ties of the state.
This committee reported recent
w that a $500, 00o 900 school build
ing program was needed and rec
commended the appropriation OF
RS, 900 900 as an e%qualizing fund
to aid the poorer counties because
1.-The wide variation in the ability
of the 100 counties of the state to
finance suitable facilities consti-
tutes the major school building
problem in North Carolina"
Gum said he was convinced
that the amount of $25, DOC, 900 is
badly needed, but I am not sure
that the state can provide this
full amount at this session of the
general assembly; consequently,
my bill provides for S11, 900, 900 with
the hope the general assembly two
years hence can provide further
assistance."
Building Program
Both bills provide for a five-year
school building program with any
unexpended funds to revert to the
general fund at the end of the
period. Under both bills, the state
board of education would be charg-
ed with allocating the funds so
that counties less able to meet
the needed cost of such construc-
ton, repair and expansion shall
receive a larger percentage" OF
the fund.
The Gum bill provides that the
state board of education may eff
it deems advisable" use not more
than 81, 1000, 900 to aid poorer coun-
ties in purchasing school buses
and the Ward bill would allow the
board of education allocate $780,
900 for school buses.
The two legislators pointed out
that the state now operates, main
tains and replaces school buses,
but that when it is necessary to
increase the school bus fleet, the
counties make the original pur-
chase.
The Ward bill provides that at
the end of every six months dur
ing the coming biennium, the gov
ernor and advisory budget COM
mission shall determine if there
is a surplus in the general fund,
and such surplus funds shall be
placed in the school building fund
until a total of SIS. 900, 900 has been
accumulated. This would make
possible a school building fund OF
$40, 900, 900 if the general fund
should continue to take in a sur
plus.
Representatives of the states
mental institutions and a proposed
new spastic hospital are scheduled
to appear before a joint appropris
ations committee public hearing
tomorrow afternoon.
The committee will hear these
groups, in order named:
Department of Archives and
history, department Of tax re-
search, state hospitals board of
control administration, state hos
pital at Raleigh, state hospital at
Morganton, state hospital at Colds
boro, Caswell training school,
Camp Sutton extension and North
Carolina spastic hospital.
Another public hearing is slated
for tomorrow morning before an
insurance commission which is
headed by Robert H. Wettach of
Chapel Hill. The group, formed
two years ago by Governor
Cherry, will study proposed amend