Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-05
Home Rule Bill 0K'd,
Car Inspection Killed
In Annapolis Windup
BY CHARLES L. HOFFMAN
Star stan Correspondent

ANNAPOLIS, April 5.-The
Maryland General Assembly
killed several controversial and
significant bills in the hec-
tic closing hours of the 1855
session early today.
Others. however. such as the
municipal home rule bill and
one calling for the mandatory
use of voting machines in the
1856 primaries were enacted.
The much-publicized measure
providing for annual inspection
of motor vehicles in State super
vised private garages was killed
in the Senate on parliamentary
maneuver by Republicans STAN
ford Hoff. of Carroll County.
and James B. Monroe of Charles
County.
The last minute rush spelled
defeat for a bill that would have
provided for a referendum in
additionally dry Takoma Park
on whether additional liquor Ii
censes should be granted in the
Prince Georges sector of the city
One already has been granted.
No Effort Made
The bill passed the Houes yes
terday. 1t did not reach the Sem
ate judicial Proceedings Com
mittee, however, until 11:10 last
night and no visible effort was
made to move the bill to the
floor.
Another measure originally in
PRODUCED as a State wide bill to
permit only licensed welfare
agencies to act as intermediates
in child adoption cases emerged
from the Senate as affecting only
Baltimore City.
Left languishing in the Senate
Judicial Proceedings Committee
were bills aimed at reform in
Statewide election laws and
granting the same absentee vot-
ing privileges to civilians that
servicemen now have.
Voters OK'd Move
The voters in last November's
election had approved consti-
tutional amendment calling for
extension of absentee voting
privileges to civilians.
A bill that would have in
creased the Maryland Court Of
Appeals from five to seven men,
bers was killed in the House de-
spite a floor fight by Southern
Maryland Delegates.
A proposal to strip the COM
missioner of motor vehicles of
his discretionary powers to waive
the requirement that school bus
drivers be at least 10 years old
was eliminated by Senate amend
mentS.
The proposal, sponsored by
Delegats Carlton R. Sickles and
C. Philip Nichols, Democrats, of
Princes Georges was prompted
by a 1853 school bus accident on
Montgomery County's Rockville
pike in which the 17-year -old
driver and several children were
injured and one child killed.
The driver was exonerated.
Senator H. Winship Wheat
ley. jr., Democrat. of Prince
Georges. who helped kill the auto
inspection measure, failed to
move a House-passed bill that
would have transferred juvenile
court jurisdiction in his county
from the trial magistrates sys-
TEN to Circuit Court.
A House measure that would
have created a Worcester County
authority to build a bridge from
the Eastern Shore to Assateague
Island was killed last night in
the Senate.
Would Shift Duties
Senator Monroe killed two
House-passed bills affecting liQ-
uor and slot machine operations
in Charles County.
One would have abolished the
position of slot machine clerk
and transferred the duties of the
Office to the Circuit Court clerks
office. The other would have
abolished the Alcoholic Beverage
THE NEIGHBoRHooD LOG