The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1948-03-11

national leaders that the state VIII
not stand for President Truman.
civil rights" program; the Legis
lature then 'activated" parts Of the
committees program by passing
bill to allow chairman Herbert Hol
mes of the Democratic committee t.
set dates for precinct and county
conventions.
A bill to raise the Senate member
ship from 40 to so was introduced
the new Senate district would com
prise Perry and Stone counties, leav
ing Forrest as a district alone.
An increase of one cent per gal
lon in the gasoline tax was introdu
ced in the House; the bill was drawn
by a subcommittee of the Highways
and Highway Financing committee
which will study the measure. Its
hackers say a one cent increase is
needed to assure a farm TO mar
ket" road program; opponents con-
tend that the Highway Commission
has all the money it can economical
ly spend in the next two years. Both
sides promise a heated fight over
the increase.
One measure which was expected
to be controversial, passed the House
unanimously without amendment; it
eliminates the sales tax on natural
gas produced in the state and repla-
ces it with a gas severance tax, at the
same rate as the present oil sever
ance tax, six per cent.
During the week the Senate also;
Passed a bill making it the duty
OF all law enforcement officers to en-
force the stock law. thus keeping
animals off the highways;
Killed a bill to allow the state
barber board to control the working
hours and prices for barber shops;
Passed a bill to provide pension
and retirement systems for employ
ees of municipally-owned public uti-
lities;
Passed a measure to release to
owners autos seized in liquor cases,
after bond is posted;
And passed a bill authorizing the
college board to sell timber and
make mineral leases under sealed
bid proposals for land owned by in
stitutions under its control.
Lieutenant Governor Sam Lum-
pkin, presiding in the Senate, chided
the members for wasting time on
minor matters. and declared that at
the present rate. well be here until
June"
During the week the House also:
Defeated a bill to "streamline"
rules of practice and procedure in
state courts; it would have allow
ed the Supreme Court to make the
changes;
Voted an amendment to the sales
tax law which would exempt feed
for livestock and poultry; the Ways
and Means Committee estimated this
would mean a loss in revenue of ST.
100000 a year;
Passed a series Of bills clarifying
the sales and income tax laws and
homestead exemption.
Following the disqualification bills
of earlier in the session, the Senate
passed a measure authorizing Kinds
county to carry out a $1,500000 bond
issue as a part of a $4,500,000 fund
for a teaching hospital" to be run
in conjunction with the proposed
state f%our-year medical school. The
medical school bill was passed ear
lier in the House, but no appropria-
! ton has been made for it.
Both hospital projects would be
on state-owned land of the former
asylum in north Jackson; the Senate
| passed, with amendments, a bill pas
sed earlier by the House to TURF
all this asylum property over to the
State Building Commission. The com
mission would ''earmark" sites for
various projects approved by the
Legislature then lay out a long-range
development plan for about 900 acres
remaining; the land would be sold tc
the highest bidder at the discretion
of the commission.