Evening star., 1947-06-19

Receive Approval W
Senate Subcommittee
Four District bills, designed to
change various phases Of insurance
laws here and to authorize the sale
of public road property on E street
S.W., between Twelfth and Thir-
teenth streets to Pennsylvania Rail-
road, were reported fayorably today
to the Senate District Committee.
This action was taken by the pub
lie Utilities, Insurance and Banking
Subcommittee Of that committee,
after public hearings on the measures
this morning. Chairman Buck of
the full committee presided at the
subcommittee hearings. Senator
Cain, Republican, of Washington
also took an active part in the hear
ing.
One of the measures was House.
passed bill to permit life insurance
companies to use modern mortality
tables and to calculate nonforfeiture
values in keeping with modern
standards. Witnesses said this would
bring the District into line with leg
islation in practically all the States.
Payment of Benefits.
Another House e-passed bill which
was approved provides for payment
of benefits to executives and ad-
ministrators of the person whose
life Is insured, where a named
beneficiary in the life insurance
policy dies before the insured. This
law change is made necessary, due
to a recent Appeals Court decision,
witnesses told the subcommittee.
The third House-passed bill, re-
ceiving subcommittee approval to-
day, deals with the land sale to the
railroad.
A third insurance bill approved,
which was introduced by Senator
Brewster, Republican, of Maine,
would liberalize investments per-
mitted by law to life insurance
firms here. Senator Cain closely
questioned Albert r. Jordan, Dis
trict insurance superintendent, who
described the measure as good
bill.
Meanwhile, seven more municipal
measures awaited action by the COM
mittee.
One is the House-passed bill pro-
posing heavy penalties for bribery
or attempted bribery of partici-
pants in sports events here.
This measure was reported favor
ably yesterday by the Judiciary
Subcommittee, headed by Senator
KEN, Republican, Of Missouri. 1t
provides maximum penalty of flve
years Imprisonment plus a $4,000
fine, for the briber, and up to one
year, plus a 1000 fine, for the player
or official found guilty of fixing or
attempting to fix a game.
Parole Board Bill Approved.
The KEN Subcommittee also put
its okay on a House-passed bill to
re-organize the District Parole
Board and to broaden the indeter-
inmate sentence law to permit
parole of prisoners sentenced to,
more than 180 days for misdemean-
ors
Two amendments were added to
this measure. One would provide
that the full-time, paid Parole
Board member should not be board
chairman. The other would specify
that prisoners accused OF parole vio-
lations be given the right to have
counsel at parole revocation hear
ings. ...
The KEN Subcommittee also acted
favorably on House-passed bill
to require the District to pay counsel
fees for property owners in con-
demnation proceedings when the
award is rejected by the District
Reports Out Three Bills.
Meanwhile, the McGrath Sub
committee of the Senate District
Committee reported three bills.
They would revise the system of
electing Episcopal vestrymen in
District parishes, permit District
of the Metropolitan Police
Band and authorize
the Commissioners to spend up to
$4,000 year for entertainment of
visitors. The latter
two have House approval.
Tomorrow the House District Com
mittee will consider continuation of
the Districts residential rent con-
troll system until next March 31-a
month later than the proposed ter
minal date for national rent con-
trolls.
A bill to extend the District sys-
tenn from next December 81 to |
March 81 was reported favorably
yesterday by the judiciary subcom-
mittee, headed by Representative
Republican, of Minnesota.
1t Is revision of a measure offered
by Representative Abernethy, Demo-
crat, of Mississippi, which proposed
a continuation for a whole year
from December 81, terminal date
under present law.