Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-01-23
Virginia House
10 Get Lottery
Measure Today
Exemption From Ban
Urged for Nonprofit
Organizations
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By Alex R, Preston
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Star Staff Correspondent
RICHMOND, Va, Jan. ga bill
to permit nonprofit organizations
to conduct lotteries will be intro
duced in the General Assembly
today.
Delegate Frank p. Moncure Of
Stafford and Prince William Coun-
ties said he will introduce legisla-
ton to exempt from the States
antilottery law ANY patriotic, fra
ternal, benevolent, charitable or re-
ligious corporation or association
that is not operated for a profit.
At the same time, Ernest Robert
son, freshman member of the
House of Delegates from Roanoke
County, came forth with a plan to
revise annexation procedure. He
said bill he intends to introduce
today would require special refer
endum elections to be held within
cities desiring to take in additional
territory and also in the area to be
annexed. A majority of voters in
each Jurisdiction would have to APP
prove annextion before city's boun-
diaries could be extended.
Sales Tax Urged.
Mr. Moncure said he would intro
duce his bill to exempt certain or.
CARNATIONS from the laws against
lotteries to permit such groups az
volunteer fire departments and par
ent-teacher associations to raise
funds for civic improvements.
The Stafford Delegate, who is an
attorney, said he does not believe
the bill violates constitutional pro-
hibition against enactment Of laws
authorizing lotteries. His bill, he
said. merely would exempt certain
organizations from provisions Of the
act which outlaws lotteries.
Meanwhile, the threat of sales tax
legislation hung over the Legislature.
Delegate Samuel F. Pope of South
ampton County. in a speech to the
House yesterday, said only IS per
cent of his constituents are able to
bear the tax load.
A general sales tax, he argued,
would be the only means by which
the State could divide the tax bur-
den fairly among its citizens.
Tax Bill Promised.
Later Mr.. Pope said Delegate Jack
Witten of Tazewell County has pre-
pared a sales tax bill.
The sessions of both House and
Senate were routine. Among new
legislation introduced we're three
bills by Senator Andrew w. Clarke
Of Alexandria to tighten licensing
restrictions for real estate sales
men and brokers.
Committees Go to Work.
For the first time in the present
session, the legislative committees
began to handle a major portion of
the legislative load.
The House Committee on Coun-
ties, Cities and Towns reported q
bill by Delegate Armistead l..
Boethe of Alexandria, authorizing
a referendum on March 2 on the
question of whether the Alexandra
City Council shall be elected at
large. =,
The committee named a special
study group to consider all charter
legislation. The subcommittee Is
headed by Delegate J. Maynard
Megruder of Arlington and has Mr..
Boothe as one of its members.
Fireworks Bill Favored.
The House General Laws Com
mittee reported favorably bill by
Mr.. Moncure to repeal the wartime
act prohibiting the sale of fire.
works. Mr.. Moncure asked that
action be postponed on another bill
he introduced to permit women to
serve on juries. He said interested
persons would like to be heard and
action was deferred until next
Thursdays committee meeting.
At the same session Of the Gen.
eral Laws Committee, Mr.. Moncure
asked that action on all legislation
be taken in executive session so that
the vote of members would be
secret.
Chairman John B. Boatwright of
Buchanan County insisted that such
procedure would be illegal and Mr..
Moncure then suggested that be-
fore a vote is taken on any legis-
lation the committee 90 into execu-
tive session in order to clear the
room of spectators; the committee
could go back into regular session
and vote on legislation while spec
tators are still absent, he said. No
action was taken on his proposal.
Budget Hearings Begin.
Hearings on Gov. Tuck's $780,
900 900 budget-largest in Virginia
history-began last night and are
expected to continue for several
weeks.
Yesterday the first formal dis
approval Of any phase Of the broad
reorganization program that Gov.
Tuck proposed was placed on the
Governors desk.
It was report of a subcommittee
OF the State Board Of Public We'll
fare appointed to consider the mer-
ger of the four industrial schools
for juvenile delinquents into two
co-educational schools for whites
and Negroes.
The Burch Reorganization Com
mission, upon which Gov. Tuck's
proposals were made, recommended
such a merger in the interests Of
efficiency and economy. But the
subcommittee. headed by Senator
Charles r. Fenwick of Arlington,
said "no"-the State should con-
tinue the operation of the schools
as four seperate units.