Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-05
70 New Bills
Await Action
Bykcke|din
Legislature Adjourns
After Enoctine 81,
Including Bonus
BY Gene Goodwin
Stor StoH Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS, Mar. 5.-Gov.
McKeldin was faced today with
signing or vetoing about 10 acts
Of the 1854 Maryland Legisla-
ture, which closed its 30-day ses-
sion late yesterday afternoon.
The lawmakers enacted 81
bills, but the Governor already
has signed 16. Some of the acts
are constitutional amendments,
which require no decision on his
part. Altogether. there were 289
measures considered by the AS
sembly-110 introduced in the
Senate, and ITO in the House.
The Governor has until April
Z to make up his mind.
One bill he is expected to veto,
despite its political implications,
is a 500 million veterans bonus
bill. enacted by the Senate just
before adjournment yesterday.
The Attorney Generals office
has ruled, in an off -the-cuff
opinion. that the bill is invalid
because it was considered by the
House before the $237 million
budget measure had been en-
acted. The constitution requires
that the budget bill be enacted
before any money-borrowing
measures can be taken up.
Sales Tax Financing.
The bonus provided in the bill.
which would have to be approved
by the voters next November,
would be financed by increasing
the State sales tax from 2 to 3
per cent.
Veterans of both world wars
and the Korean war would be
eligible for bonus up to $4O0.
computed at the rate of SIS a
month for overseas service and
$40 a month for StateSide duty.
Honorably discharged veterans
living in Maryland for at least
six months before entering the
service would be the only ones
who would qualify.
This years measure would
never have been enacted if legis-
latlve leaders hadn't been so GER
tain that it was invalid.
The Senate passed the House
bonus bill Is to 13. Senator j.
Raymond Fletcher. Republican.
OF Prince Georges. voted for it.
Senator AnderS R. Lofstrand.
Republican. of MONTGOMERY.
voted against it.
Senate Bill Avoided.
Earlier yesterday, the Senate
had approved. II to IL, another
bonus bill, introduced by SEN
ator Harry Phoebus, Republican.
OF Somerset. To be financed by
draStically increasing taxes on
alcoholic beverages, the Phoebus
bill had a stamp of approval
from the attorney general. It
was never enacted, however, be-
cause the House purposely ad-
Journed before it could come to
a vote there.
In other actions just before
adjournment. the Senate killed
House-approved legislation to
prevent use of motor vehicle
revenues for any purpose except
roads.
The Senate enacted the bill
giving Laurel race track an ex-
ira day of racing this year to
make up for a day lost during a
blizzard last November.
Congratulations From McKeldin.
Republican Gov. McKeldin
sent a message of congratulations
to his heavily Democratic Legis-
lature as it adjourned.
The Governor said he was
particularly proud that the law
makers had enacted home rule
for municipalities. Expressing
confidence that the voters
would approve the issue in No
vember, Mr.. McKeldin said the
constitutional change not only
will bring better government to
the municipalities, but lit will
relieve the Legislature of many
burdensome matters"
The home rule and annual as
sessment bills probably were the
most significant ones enacted by
this Legislature.
Question of Manpower.
For many years, tax experts
and lawmakers have agreed that
the only equitable way to tax
property Is to assess all of it in
the year that it's taxed, but that
requires extra manpower and a
lot OF groundwork. so it's never
been done. This year, however.
the Legislature decided to act.
The bill won't take effect until
1895 mats designed to give as
SCISSORS time to prepare for the
changeover from the present sys-
! tenn of assessing only a third Of
the properties in each county
every year.
Another significant enactment
was the bill. already signed by
the Governor. to make 1t the
law of Maryland that county and
municipal governing bodies must
conduct their deliberations in
public.
Other Bills Killed.
This 1854 Legislature also
killed some significant legisla.
ton. For example:
The l8-year-old vote bill.
The bill to give the State
Roads Commission authority to
setup toll roads. like the New
Jersey and PENNSYLVANIA turn.
pixies.
The prohibition against ADAM
doning old iceboxes where child
rem might lock themselves in and
suffocate
Compulsory automobile in
Spection.