Evening star., 1952-03-09
Virginia House;
Rejects Changes
In Highway Bill
Senute Increases
Maximum Speed Of
Buses to SIS MPH
BY the Assoeiatsd Pres.

RICHMOND. Va. Mar. 8.-The
1852 Virginia General Assembly
moved into its closing hours to-
night squabbling over Senate
changes in a highway safety bill.
After completing Assembly ac-
tlon on such thorny matters as
the new annexation act, the
House turned down further
changes added by the Senate to
an already watered-down motor
vehicle safety law and threw the
matter into conference.
The Senate upped the maxi
mum highway speed Of buses
from SO to 55 miles an hour to put
them on the same level with the
House increases for passenger
cars. The Senate also altered the
section relating to possible loss of
permit for the first speeding con-
viction by making this apply only
to open highways where special
limits are no lower than As.
Amendment SnarI.
House members also got tied up
In debate on a joint resolution,
already approved by the Senate,
which calls for amending the Con-
stitution to allow localities to bor-
row from the new State supple
mental retirement fund for school
construction.
The plan, requiring approval by
q subsequent Assembly and a vote
OF the people, carried IS to II.
Delegate Robert Whitehead, op-
posing it, said it would put the
State in the dual role of lending
localities money at low interest
while, as trustee Of the fund, itI
should be seeking the best return
possible on the funds.
Annexation legislation was Civ
en- final approval after the House of
Delegates defeated by As to A an
amendment that would have re-
duced from so to Is square miles
the limits below which a city may
not annex from q county.
This means that q county which
contains less than go square miles
can't have any Of its territory
annexed.
Victory for James.
The close vote represented al
victory for Delegate Ralph James
of Elizabeth City County, a chunk
of whose territory is being sought
by Newport News.
The bill revanps procedure for
and gives courts more
authority in deciding whether
cities shall be allowed TO add
county land.
In a stormy afternoon session,
the Senate passed "a to 13 a bill
to require localities using State
funds for school construction to
seek advice on plans from the
State Board of Education.
The board would be permitted
10 make available to the localities
architectural plans for schools so
that the localities would be saved
the cost Of an architects fee. The
locality would not have to adopt
the boards standard plans.
The Senate also passed and sent
to the Governor a bill to make it
a misdemeanor for persons on
welfare rolls not to notify their
local boards of any change in
their economic status that might
affect their eligibility for release.
Anti Truman Law.
Another late argument breeder
In the House was the revival and
final approval of a bill amending
the anti-Truman election law of
1948. Gov. Battle said earlier he
would veto the measure after Del
egate Whitehead charged on the
floor 1t presented Q means Of
keeping the National Democratic
Party Presidential nominee of the
Virginia ballot if the State con-
vention decided to bolt the ma
tional party.
The Assembly made up its mind
on the final day what should be
done about the absent voter laws
by directing that the much argued
but still unchanged laws should ]
be thoroughly studied by legis- I
lative commission. Any change
In the laws was thus deferred until {
next session.