The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1947-03-13
Legislative Bills
Before Gov. Ford

DStOEG OOF. FOTQ
Helena-U.R-With sine die ad
Journment of Montana's 3Oth AS
sembly, the Legislative spotligh
shifted to Gov. Sam c. Ford.
The States Chief Executive hai
10 days from final adjournment o
the legislature to sign or veto the
stack Of measures left on his desk
BY the time the states lawmakers
mad packed up their Bill files and
LETT Helena, Ford had signed into
law Bills requiring Premartail
blood tests, sharply increasing hunt
ing and fishing license fees, pro-
vlding for submission to the electo-
rate of a referendum raising from
54s to six the university millage
levy for a l0-year period begin
ming in 1949.
Also signed by the Governor
were measures which appropriate
$3,0O0,000 during the next biennium
Tor state aid to public schools, re-
mburse state and county officers
SIX cents mile for using personal
cars for official business, approp-
rate 100000 during the next BIZ |
ennium for national advertising of
Montana, increase to $3.50 the |
weekly compensation paid injured /
workmen, eliminate the $500 club |
liquor license fee, set up a COM
mission to study occupational dis
eases, and limit the number of beer
and liquor licenses on a population
basis.
Sine die adjournment came in
the House of Montana's Both As
sembly at 1907 p. m, March 6, the
oOth legislative day. The final Sen
ate gaVel fell 10 minutes later af- ,
ter the last three Bills to come over :
from the House had been signed. :
Delays in the enrolling com :
mittee kept half of Montana's 56 i
Senators and 90 Representatives +
cooling their heels for more than z
10 hours on the final day. .
Last actual legislating was done
Just before noon when both House r
and Senate concurred in conference y
committee reports on two contro- {
versial Bills. -
The committees recommended the ~
veterans welfare commission for a
olennlum appropriation of S325.0OO c.
ana that the Senate recede from Il
Is amendment which would have a
permitted veterans clubs to continue h.
'uylng liquor licenses for 500. ",
Hlghlight of the week. and of =,
he Legislative Session, was the an -
!ouncement Wednesday that the 4;
states budget for the coming BIZ =;
nmum was balanced. tb
Rep. c. J. Williams, R., Billings ~
DID the lawmakers the biennilirn Y,a
utgo was $4,000 short of the in
ONE during the two-year period n,
eglnning next July l.. Counting co
nat 100000 in the General Fund pc
illliams said the State would be 60,
bout 100000 in the black at the 90
I'd of fiscal 1949.
Williams estimated the States in -.
me during the next two years at - a.
= 4oS,Oo5 compared with expen- '''
lures totalling $2l $685. 100.
surprise package of the final
glslatlve day was the report by
e House Liquor Control sub
mmlttee, charged on the 18th
glslative day with a full-dress in
SStIeatlon OF the States $4,000
O-a-year liquor business.
The report, signed by Reps. G. w.
Common, r., Fromberg; D. C..
aadley, r., Terry, and John How
l. K, Jordan, gave the Montana
4uor Control Board a clean bill
health.
four democratic members of the
ne House committee Immediately
arged the report was a white
sh"
The latter statement-signed by
ps. L. c. Graybill, Great Falls.
INK Iierney, Butte; John Karl
g, Mlssoula, and E. A. Wenger.
aconda-declared mo counsel
employed, no accountant was
eo, no subpoena issued, no evil
ice was taken"
The subcommittee report COW
no investigation, but merely
ie friendly visiting by friendly
committee with a friendly Lio-
Board Administration" the
locrats charged.
uring the Both Assembly. Mon
is Lawmakers handled SOB Bills 4
joint Memorials, the highest
since 1899. In 1945 the total
AT; l943, 586; 1941, 500; 1889
day-by-day summary of the
iup legislative week: