Evening star., 1949-03-28
Mental Hygiene
Bill Considered
AT Annapolis
Lanes Plan to Pick
Own Commissioner
Is Major Issue

ANNAPOLIS, Mar. 28.-A hear
ing on Gov. Lanes plan to choose
his own mental hygiene commits
sioner was the first item of busi-
ness today as the General Assem-
bly, began it's last week - with
plenty of work left to do.
A bill already approved by the
Senate calls for a full overhauling
of mental hospital administration,
under a single man. AS the bill
stands, the Mental Hygiene Ad-
visory Board would screen candi-
dates for commissioner.
Gov. Lane last week sent to the
Ways and Means Committee an
amendment which would elimi-
nate that requirement. After the
House Ways and Means Commit
tee heard there was some objec-
ton, it called a hearing for today.
The Governor also put in an
amendment which would keep at
$125 the amount Baltimore City
or the counties pay each year per
patient in mental hospitals. The
bill now calls for 5000.
Building Funds Approved.
Final action on the bill will
complete the administrations
program on mental hospitals.
Around $20,O00,O0O was included
in the budget passed Saturday for
new buildings.
With the $157,839,OOO budget
out of the way, the legislature has
finished one of its biggest Jobs.
1t still has some money bills to
consider, however.
One of them is the S16,373. 900
bond issue bill for buildings at
various state institutions. 1t will
be up for action in the Senate to-
day or tonight. The Senate re-
fused Saturday to make any
changes, despite efforts to elimi-
nate $685., 900 for buildings at the
Princess Anne Negro College on
the Eastern Shore and $3.50 900 for
the Bayside Park at Sandy Point.
Bond Bill Requires Action.
Also to be passed before the
scheduled adjournment Saturday
are bills for a $20,000000 bond is
sue to help build schools, and a
s50,000,000 credit pool so counties
may hurry along with school con-
struction programs.
Counties and the City of Balti-
more would share in the $2o,Oo0,-
900 at the rate of ST for every SO
they put up. The credit pool"
merely lends the states credit so
local bonds may be sold.
When the two bond issue bills
are passed. the Maryland fiscal
program for the year beginning
next July l will add up to S1e4,-
f272, ,000-a figure higher than ever
before.
The breakdown of the record
total is like this:
Operating budget, $134,299, ,629.
in itself an all-time high; pay-as-
Iyou-go buildings for mental hos
pitals and tuberculosis sanatoria
out of the States surplus, S23,-
$4,000; bond issue for other
buildings, $16,373,OOO; bond issue
for school building, $2O,OOO,OOO.
The big fiscal program was con-
sidered the main reason the ad-
ministration sent down orders
last week there shall be no more
tax legislation, except what it has
approved.
Tax Debate Due.
The order did not deter some
Senators from deciding on a final
even though futile-move to
save some of their pet tax bills.
Most of them call for cuts in taxes
and all are scheduled to be de-
bated at tonight's session.
The House may take some action
today on Senate approved
measure to freeze" membership
in the House of Delegates at 1913.
1t came out on the floor last week
and county delegates got set to
Sharpshoot at it. However, the
measure was made a special order
of business for today.
Horse racing of all kinds will get
another airing in the Senate. A
bill to allow Pimlico race track to
move to Laurel is ready for a
Senate vote and was expected to
pass. More debate on it was like
ly, however, and there will be
another attempt to kill the meas
ure when it reaches the House.
The Senate also has up for
action a measure to increase the
number of days of harness racing
each year.
Literally hundreds of bills await
final action in one House or the
other and day and night sessions
will be in order until the end.
Legislative leaders have told clerks
and other assistants their work
will be done Saturday-or more
than likely early Sunday.
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