The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1948-02-26
Legislative Digest
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! perance committee meantime had
killed all liquor control or legallza-
ton bills except a late conner by SEN
ator Buddy Newman of Issaquena
which calls for a straight-out refer
endum vote. Mrs. Price announced in
the House that her committee would
make no further attempts to cope
with the liquor control problem.
With this out of the way, solons
eyed the Democratic party 'seces-
SION movement, and saw introduced
a series of bills by a recess commit
lee which would make additional
changes in the party primary elect
ion system.
Aid for counties and cities of the
state got some serious attention from
finance leaders as the week ended,
but with no definite plan agreed on,
action is still lacking.
A bill to appropriate $5,000,OOO
from surplus state cash now avail
able. for a $3.50 split between u
ties and cities was offered in the Sen
ate; if passed, a 1916 bill providing
for a split by the state with the
cities and counties of a stated sur
plus, would be repealed. Since the
House ways and means committee
killed the Senate-approved bills cut
ting the amusement tax rate, 1t was
apparent that several proposals to
give all or a greater part of this tax
to the cities is being seriously con-
.;idered.
Another controversial issue popped
up when several northeast Mississip-
pi representatives dropped in a bill
asking for a $100,000,000 highway
bond issue for county highway aid.
Full faith and credit of the state
would be pledged for retirement of
the bonds, but they would be paid
out of the present gas tax, which, &C
cording to Rep. Phil Mullen, one of
the authors, brings enough revenue
at the present rate to pay them off.
He said the bill plans a system of
feeder all weather roads leading
from rural centers to main high
ways.
A bill to split the offices of sheriff
and tax collector hit the Senate; Sen.
Bee McAlpin (Mize) and r. E. Gen.
try mt. Olive) would make the
sheriff strictly a law enforcement
officer and provide for a separate
office of tax collector, both paid a
salary.
Other actions of the week included
these.
A Legislative Investigating Com
mittee suggested the tax of two per
cent of natural gas produced, be re-
placed by a gas severance tax, sim
liar in rate and operation to the
six per cent oil severance tax.
After a hearing at which sports
On filled the hall, the House wild
life conservation committee killed a
5iil asking transfer of a $500,000 sur
plus in the Game and Fish commits
sion funds. to the states general
fund; and killed a bill which would
take away from the commission the
right to set Or change open seasons
for game and fish.
Hearings were held on a series of
bills aimed at simplifying court pro-
cedure. under which the Supreme
Court prescribe general rules--simil-
lar to a Federal act.
The House passed a bill prohibit
ing the sale of tickets to any sports
event at more than the established
price.
The House passed four Military
Affairs bills, one of which clarifies
the Veterans Farm and Home bill so
that veterans buying farms or homes
will be eligible for Homestead Elk
emption.
The House passed several bills to
increase salaries of clerks in county
and state offices, most of them paid
by the state.
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