Evening star., 1948-02-23
Virginia Senate
Prepares toAct
On Banking Bill
Decision Expected
This Week on
Tuck Tex Plan
BY the Asxoeiotsd Press

Tuck Tex Plan
BY the Asseeiatsd Press
RICHMOND, Va, Feb 23.-The
Virginia General Assembly recon-
vened today for what Is expected
to be one Of the busiest weeks of
the current session.
Only three weeks remain until
adjournment in mid March, and be-
fore that time the Legislature must
take final action on all Of Gov
Tuck's major budget, taxation and
reorganization proposals as well as
hundreds of minor bills.
gin final consideration today of the
controversial measure to prohibit
further expansion of branch banking
In the State-a measure already ap-
proved by the House. The Rich
n1ond charter bill also is on the
Senate calendar.
Tax Action Scheduled.
Before the week is out, the Sen
ate is expected to make final dis
position of Gov. Tuck's $4,000, ,000-
per-year tax increase program. The
Governors $500,000, 900 budget, still
before the House Appropriations
Committee, is likely to be reported
onto the House floor Immediately
after the Senate takes action on the
tax bill. :.
Joint hearings on Gov. Tuck's
reorganization program-telescop-
ing 10 present units of the State
government into IA major depart
rnents and three auxiliary agencies
probably will be called late this
week by the Senate and House
Courts of Justice Committees. The
measure may be reported out next
week.
Today is the final day on which
new general bills may be intro
duced in either house without
unanimous consent Scores of ad-
ditional bills are due to be dumped
in the hoppers by adjournment
this afternoon, making more diff
cult the task of the Legislature,
which already is we'll behind its
1916 pace.
40S Bills Offered.
AS of Friday, 408 bills had been
offered in the House of Delegates
46 more than were in the House at
the comparable stage in 1916. The
Senate, too, was running ahead Of
its 1916 pace in bill introduction.
State Senator Harry F. Byrd, jr.-
sponsor of a measure to make Vir-
ginia a community property tax
State-will appear before the Senate
Finance Committee tomorrow in
support of the bill.
The Senator estimated that the
bill would save Virginia taxpayers
more than 100000 during the
next biennium."
The bill would permit a husband
and wife to split their income for
State income tax reporting pur-
poses and thus enjoy a lower tax
rate.
In q statement yesterday Senator
Byrd said in part:
Since it's obvious that the Fed
eral Government is almost certain
to approve the split-income prin-
ciple in computing Federal taxes,
1t seems logical that Virginia should
take similar action with reference
to State income taxes. Not only
will it facilitate the computing of
tax returns but it will save the
taxpayers of Virginia more than
100000 during the next ben
mum
Recognizes Principle.
"This proposal Goes not in any
way collide witH the tax program
which Gov. Tuck considers neces-
zmsary. 1t merely recognizes a prin-
taeiple which already has been ap-
proved0by one branch of Congress,
and in which the second branch is
almost certain to concur.
with reference to the $4,000, 900
this proposal will save the Virginia
taxpayers, a study of the proposed
budget and of the estimated rev.
enues for the next biennium-plus
the economy envisioned by the Gov
ernor's reorganization program
convinces me that this reduction in
the taxpayers burden can be abb
sorbed without detriment to the
States financial structure
At pm. tomorrow the House and
Senate General Laws Committees
will meet to hear pros and cons OF
bills dealing with licensing of chiro-
practic and naturopathic physicians.
Also tomorrow the House General
Laws group will hear discussion of
Senate bill regarding admins
tration and fees of rural electric
cooperatives,
Open Shop Repeal Debate.
Thursday, House General Laws
will hear the open shop repeal
measure debated, and another
round of argument on House bill
to allow electric co-operatives to
furnish telephone services.
The Gardner bill proposing estab-
lishment of State clinics for rehabil-
itation of inebriates is on the Sen
ate Finance Committee docket for
hearing at 10 am. tomorrow.
Joint hearings on legislation to
increase some oystering and fishery
license tax rates, and to replete
public oyster rocks, are set for $3.50
am. Wednesday before the Senate
Fish ana Game and House Chesa-
peake and It's Tributaries Commit
tees.
A subcommittee of House Courts
of Justice Committee also may con-
duct further hearings on legislation
to repeal State segregation laws af-
fecting public carriers and places OF
public assemblage.
TnLe of HoLdun