Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-12

DOggeu GOWN IN series OF COL
session, ana then refused to
said it should.
In the process the legisla
budget totaling some $500 mil
lion and requiring new taxes in
excess of $44 million.
Despite the magnitude of
these figures, the Legislature
still cut STA million of Gov.
McKeldin's budget request. or
two and a half times the cut
made by any previous Legisla-
ture.
In setting this record the
Assembly became the first to
hold a. 36-day 'thirty-day
session." The extension was SO
great. legal authorities said it
made a "mockery of the con-
stitution" and would require a
special session tomorrow to
"legalize" the actions of the
last SIX days.
Rebuffed McKeldin on Pay
Interesting to note it the fact
that this is the same Legislature
that three years ago took nine
days to get started because OF
an organizational fight.
The Legislature got of to a
running start on opening day
by handing Gov. McKeldin the
sharpest slap of his political
career.
Before the Governor even
! had time to give his opening
estate of the State" message,
the Assembly OVERRIDE his veto
of a $500 teacher pay increase.
giving the Governor only three
votes of support out Of a total
152 in the two houses.
Midway in the session the
Senate killed a controversial
bill that would have permitted
the merger of Pimlico and
Laurel race tracks. The one
vote failure came amid charges
that the measure was a bell
ringer" and a money bill"
OutIawed Jai Alai
The assembly also expressed
Indignation at attempts of a
group to introduce the Spanish
game Of jai alai into the State
and voted to outlaw it. And in
another outburst Of righteous
ness. the lawmakers voted to
put seven slot machine casinos
along the Virginia shoreline of
the Potomac River out of busi-
ness next June /.
Despite the many complaints
of matters other than the
budget occupying the time OF
the legislature, a bill designed
to limit the even-year short
sessions of the Assembly to ifs
cal measures only failed to pass.
1t was passed by the Senate.
but died in the House Judiciary
Committee with a recommen-
dalton that it be studied by the
Legislative Council, a between
sessions study group Of the
Legislature.
In the closing days Of the
impasse over a tax program the
House of Delegates must have
set some kind of record by
staying on Legislative day of
March A. for a calendar week.
The session also saw Floor
Leader A. Gordon Boone and
his chief lieutenants, Delegates
Blair Lee III of Montgomery
County and Jerome Robinson
of Baltimore City win enact
ment Of a bill to control bill
boards along State highways
after a decade-long fight.
A watered-down measure, the
bill prohibits billboards within
600 feet of the right Of way Of
limited access expressways.
most still to be built.
The session, however. saw a
number of other perennials
killed off in expected fashion.
Among them were all meas
ures aimed at improving traffic
safety, including a point system
bill for revocation Of drivers
permits, a chemical drunk test,
a manslaughter bill and a
measure providing for auto
matte suspension Of a drivers
license on two hazardous NOV
ing violation convictions.
The Legislature had its fair
share of yearly attempts to cur
tail authority of the State Roads
Commission.
This years attacks were led
primarily by Senator H. VIM
ship Wheatley. r., Democrat
Of Prince Georges.
A Wheatley proposal to give
local governments a veto power
over commission planning and
scheduling was watered down
to the point where it passed re-
curing only conferences with
local officials.
Other measures failed, in
GLIDING one backed by the
petroleum industry to keep the
commission from building serv-
ice areas along limited access
highways.
The Legislature enacted a bill
authorizing a $38 million bond
issue for the northeast express
way out Of Baltimore to be
built as a toll road. Another
bill designed to speed construc-
ton Of Federal interstate high
ways in the State died in COM
mittee.
During the session the law
makers learned their 1858 mil
lion. 12-year road program
was now Sill billion plan of
is years duration and should
be increased to SIS billion.
After learning of the new
needs, the Assembly agreed to