Evening star., 1948-03-11
Assembly 10 Ac1
Today on -Four
Ar|ingtonBi||s
House Controversy
Seen on Measure
To Tax Truckers
By Alex R. Preston
By Alex R. Preston
Stor Steff Correspondent


star s.off eerrsspendsnt
RICHMOND. Va, Mar. u.-Four
bills for Arlington County are
scheduled for final action in the
General Assembly today. They
would:
Ease requirements for petitions
against rezoning by making unnec-
essary the notarizing of each sigma
ture.
Permit the County Board to re-
duce the bond of the county treas
urer to is per cent of total funds
handled.
Increase the salary of the trial
justice to 5000 a year and permit
him to maintain an inactive docket.
Permit deductions from salaries of
State employees who desire to par
ticipate in the county retirement
system.
Sponsors Named.
These bills, sponsored by Senator
Charles r. Fenwick and Delegates
j. Maynard Magruder and George
Damn, will be passed this afternoon
unless controversial matters take UP
the full time of the session.
Among the measures which may
provoke controversy is a bill by
Senator Andrew w. Clarke of Alex
andria to restore the 2 per cent
gross receipts tax on truckers. This
measure is up for final action In the
House of Delegates.
Another controversial bill, debat-
ed In the Senate yesterday and due
to be sent to the Governor. If ap-
proved today, is the Cook-McC Cue
fireworks bill which was amended
to exempt localities which have
passed local ordinances for an out
right ban of fireworks.
The Senate Courts Of Justice
Committee has set for hearing this
afternoon the Crockett bill, already
passed the House, to tighten an
nexation proceedings by cities of
the first class so as to require ap-
proval Of Is per cent of the voters
in the areas affected. This measure
is being pushed by rural Delegates.
The House Roads Committee to-
day approved by a 1875 vote a Sen
ate bill to provide $500 a mile out
Of State highway funds for main
tenance of secondary streets in Vir-
ginia towns and cities.
The committee nailed on an
amendment-to guarantee that the
allocations will come out of primary
funds, and that the ratio of Sec
ondary road expenditures will be
frozen ct the level of the 1947-48
year.
Other developments which may
occur today include House consider
alton of Gov. Tuck's reorganization
bill In which more than 10 executive
departments and agencies would be
telescoped into n. This constitutes
about two-thirds of the program
asked by the Governor. The Senate
Is believed to have removed most
Objectionable features but members
have indicated that a few more
minor changes may be attempted
In the House.
Bill Is Reported.
The House Committee on Courts
Of Justice last night reported out
the reorganization bill after adopt
ing amendments to leave three
agencies as they are now.
The committee voted unanimously
to:
/. Leave the State Water Control
Board as it now is set up instead of
Incorporating its functions in a new
department of conservation and de-
velopment.
2. Leave the State Apple Commits
sion as it stands now instead of
transferring its functions to the De-
partment of Agriculture.
3. Let the division of history and
archaeology remain in the State Con-
servation Commission instead of
transferring its function to the State
Library.
Amendments Adopted.
One other amendment adopted
would transfer the State Certified
Seed Commission to the Extension
Service of Virginia Polytechnic In
stitute instead of putting its work
under the Department of Agricul-
ture.
Senate action on the Governors
anti-Truman election bill was de-
ferred yesterday when its Privileges
and Elections Committee was unable
to report the measure because of
backlog of other legislation
The committee did receive some
suggested amendments to the elec-
ton legislation, however, and some
Of these may be incorporated in the
measure, which created the sessions
hottest debate in the House Monday.
Chairman Robert c. Walden said the
committee will make an attempt to
get the bill to the floor for Senate
action this afternoon.
Among new suggestions are amend
ments to permit the name of the
candidates Of any national political
party to appear on the ballot, thus
making it unnecessary for Mr. Tru-
mans supporters to circulate a petit
tion for 1000 signatures in Virginia.
Another change would require that
petitions for candidates of other
than Virginia or national parties file
their petition go days, instead of 80
days, before the. November election
to give the State Board of Elections
time to check the signatures. An
other amendment would require
voting addresses of those signing
petitions.
Consideration of this bill was one
OF three actions in the Legislature
yesterday relating to revision of
election laws.
The House adopted, 10 to 70, a !
Joint resolution which would submit
q proposed constitutional revision
Of the election laws, including abo-
lition of the poll tax, to the voters
In November. The action came
after foes argued that the ref
erendum question was loaded
down" with so many other unat-
tractive features that voters may
retain the noil tax hecause of IN.