Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 January 1917 — Eighteen Bills In House; Twelve In the Senate. [ARTICLE]

Eighteen Bills In House; Twelve In the Senate.

The first roll call for the introduction of bills was made in the Irahan» House and Senate and resulted in the Submission of 18 house bills and 12 senate bills. The number is unusually small. The more important measures introduced included two bills by Rep. Cravens, democratic floor leader, oroviding for a total reduction of 3% cents in the state tax levy and saving to the tax payers an estimated total of $760,000 a year; one by Senator English to permit qualified voters absent from the state on election day to vote by mail; Senator Kinder, providing for the holdihg of city primaries in the fall instead of the spring; Senator Thornton, providing for the purchase of the old state Capitol at Corydon; Rep. Bartel, giving hotel keepers a lien on the property of persons who do not pay their bills; Rep. Cooper, requiring drivers of. School hacks to stop before crossing railroads or interurban lines and providing heavy penalties for violation; Rep. -Green, providing that ante license fees shall be paid to county auditors and funds used in counties where collected; Rep. Mushett, requiring mine operators to furnish expert shot firers in all mines. It was expected that the high way commission bill would come tip. The measure is one of the most important that will come before the present assembliy.' It provides for the apjw -ntment of four highway commissro lers by the governor, members to serve withoUt"pay, an d the commission to be non-partisan—An engineer w.-bm the commission will appoint will have charge of the practical work , proposed. The commission will 4< ermine roads-that will be designate \ as main market highways and will have power to determine the necessity -or such roads. The state will be • divided into twelve highway districts and the state and counties pay half of the expense of market highways. Roads of lesser importance will be left in the control.of the counties as at present.