Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 178, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1920 — THIRD WEEK OF LEGISLATURE [ARTICLE]

THIRD WEEK OF LEGISLATURE

END OF SPECIAL SESSION IS A VERY UNCERTAIN DATE. Indianapolis, July 26—The special session of the Indiana general assembly which was convened July 12 went into its third week ’today with most of the important legislation still unsettled and with the date of final adjournment uncertain. A conflict between the two houses over the provisions of the home rule tax bill which would give local taxing units control over bond issues and tax levies is a possibility. Upon reconciliation of the difference between the senate and house home rule bills depends the length of the special session. Still Wide Gap. There is also a wide gap between the house and the senate on the question of legalizing the horizontal increases in 1919 assessments made by the state tax board. The house bill provides for a straight out legalizing plan while the senate bill is a modification of the legalizing scheme. With the two tax bills out of the way it is believed the session can soon be concluded. Leaders gave their attention to the tax measures during the week end and hoped to reach settlement before the two houses meet again at 2 p. m. tomorrow. Bill* in Conference. The home rule tax bill is now in the hands of a conference committee. The legalization bill has not yet been returned to the house from the senate, but it is certain to go to a conference committee as soon as it is sent back. Three other important bills also are in conference committees for consideration. These are the. war memorial bill, the coal commissionbill and the bill amending the 1919 county unit road law. The war memorial bill passed by the senate was considerably more liberal* than the house bill and it is expected there will be a compromise framed which .will reduce the amount of the appropriation fixed bv the upper house, which was approximately $3,500,000. The house bill would provide only $2,000,000. Probable Compromi»c. The coal commission bill will probably result in a compromise providing that the powers of investigating the coal industry and fixing prices for fuel will be placed with the state board of accounts. The house bill would have established a cbal commission 1 and the senate amendments provided for the public utilities commission to extend its authority to include coal mines. The county, unit road bill, another measure in conference, was amended in the senate so as to provide for six per cent interest on certain road bonds instead of 5 per cent as fixed in the house bill. Little difficulty is anticipated in reaching a compromise in this measure. , , Members of both houses are apparently becoming weary of the protracted special session and during the last week it has been increasingly difficult each day to obtain a quorum. Absent*** Threatened. Lieut. Gov. Edgar D. Bush, presiding officer of the senate, has threatened absent members with arrest and declared that he would order officers of the senate to bring in members who are absent from tomorrow’s session. Frequently recesses have been necessary in order to obtain a quorum and the lieutenant governor has consistently refused to transact business unless a quorum is present.