Evening star., 1949-11-22
Acts
To oBarFuture
Errors in Bills
Effects of Invalid
School Loan Law
Continue to Pile Up
By fhe Associoted Press

Continue to Pile Up
BY the Assoeioted Press
ANNAPOLIS, Nov. 22.-fs ef-
fects of a technical error ,ich
invalidated a Maryland 'ol
loan law snowballed tod t.
torney General Hall Hs d
sought a means to pre- le
same thing from happeni 4.
The Court of Appeals 1t
the law last week. Throu' T.
ical error, there was n 'rd
in the legislative journs its
ever passing.
The bill, which was sigr by
the Governor. would have set up a
$50, 100000 credit pool" from
which the counties could have bor-
rowed to finance new school con-
struction.
Mr.. Hammond said that some
thing must be done to make sure
the same mistake is not made
again. He suggested that two Of
fetal records be kept-one by the
regular journal clerks and another
by independent clerks as a check.
Bond Issue Postponed.
Meanwhile. because of the Court
of Appeals decision:
/. The state has decided to
postpone issuance Of bonds to
provide direct grants to counties
for school construction.
2. A check through the legislative
records showed that another .ap-
parent clerical error in the State
Senate may temporarily cost
Maryland liquor dealers their sales
to Army and Navy posts.
3. An official Of the State De-
partment of Education said county
school superintendents believe, the
school construction program will
be slowed down.
4. The all-Republican legisla-
tive delegation from Montgomery
County asked Gov. Lane to call
a special session of the General
Assembly to re-pass the school
Credit pool bill.
The governor has indicated he
does not think it will be necessary
to hold special session.
Curtailment Called Unnecessary.
Gov. Lane said in a speech
Saturday that 'it would not be
necessary to curtail any Of the
plans for expansion of the State
school system" pending the time
the $50, ,000. 900 loan fund can be
passed legally.
The Department of Education
official. who asked that his name
not be used, said that the coun-
ties cannot contracts for new
|kchools sNfEANH assurance they
will get the money"
The next regular session Of the
Legislature will be held in Febru-
ary. The school loan bill could
not be passed until near sthefknd
of the 30-dxy session.
h As a companion measure to the
loan bill, the General Assembly
authorized another $4,000, 900 in
bonds to be expended In direct
grants to the subdivisions. for
school construction.
Under it. the State is authorized
to give 81 for each So a county
puts up of its own money for
school construction.
Original plans were that ST.
100000 worth of the bonds would
be advertised today and bids
would be opened December S.
Used to Watch Funds.
Mr.. Hammond said because the
loan" bond law is out, it was
decided to postpone issuance Of
the direct grant bonds for the
time being. Their issuance was
planned along with $7,890,0o0 in
bonds under the $50. 900, 900 cred
it pool" plan. r.
The two issues were to have
covered the immediate needs Of
nine counties.
It was pointed out that some Of
the counties which were to have
obtained grants from the $780,
900 issue may not be able to take
advantage of them right away be-
cause the loan money is not avail
able.
They had intended to use the
money which would have come
from the credit pool" as match
ing funds to qualify for the out
right grants.
A close check was made of the
records of the 1949 General As
sembly session after the court de-
cision.
Tax Measure Also Victim.
They showed that bill relating
to tax exemptions on beer and
liquor fell victim to the same type
of clerical error as the school loan
bill.
Attorney General Hammond
said the measure cannot be en-
forced in the face of the Appeals
Court ruling. The measure re-
quired the controller to approve
refunds Of taxes paid on beer sold
on military reservations and al
lowed him to approve tax-free
purchases of wines and liquors on
the reservations.
MI. Hammond said that as a
consequence, Army and Navy pur-
chasers will probably buy out Of
State and have it shipped In"
Tax free imports of wines and
liquors to a Federal reservation
would be legal.
Six other bills almost ran into
the same tangle. but three were
later corrected, one was vetoed
and two died in House committees.
ArIinoton Woman Gers