Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 101, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1915 — BRIEF SUMMARY OF INDIANA LAWS [ARTICLE]

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INDIANA LAWS

Record of Sixty-Ninth General I Assembly. :— FEWER LAWS ARE ENACTED

Legislature Makes Record For Passing Fewer Laws Than Previous Sessions, Though a Number of Measures of Importance Were Enacted.

By WALTER S. GREENOUGH.

Indianapolis. (Special) The most patent fact In the first quick reconsideration of the complete work of the B|xty-ninth general assembly, which Tame to a close here Monday night, Is that it passed fewer laws than has ~Tb, legislature for a number of years. While there are a number of bills now 'waiting for action by the governor, which can not be listed in this summary at this time, the total number of bills acted on by the governor at (his date two years ago exceeded the number he has acted on so far this cession by some fifty measures. Yet this legislature, while it has refused to pass many of the bills before It the were, for transcendental moments at least, paramount questions before the body, has enacted a number of measures that are of deep importance to the state at large. One of these is the statewide primary election measure, written by a group of Democratic leaders and substituted for the John R. Jones bill in the last few days of the assembly. This measure provides for the nomination of all officers from “town dogcatcher,” of his close friend the constable, up to the lowliest of the candidates on the state tickets of the various parties. Then it also Jumps to the head of the state ticket and provides a preferential vote system for president, vice-president, United States senator and governor. The state convention system is retained for the purpose of nominating the remainder of the state tickets and promulgating platforms. Another of the very important measures passed by the legislature was a workmen’s compensation law, which is of the optional type, any other being barred under the constitution of the state, according to leading lawyers, who were in the legislature. This law provides schedules for the payment to beneficiaries for injuries sustained by ‘ them or their departments, and provides for methods of insuring the employers, who desire to come under the law, against such losses It likewise provides for the appointment of a state industrial board, to take the place of the present state bureau of inspection, and in this board will be lodged all the powers of the present board, in addition to the new duties of administering the compensation law.

Although such discussion w r as created concerning the plan of Indiana railroads to get the legislature to pass a law, repealing the two-cent fare law in Indiana and allowing the roads to charge two and one-half cents a mile for passenger traffic, the legislature failed to enact such a law, and even a substitute therefor, proposed by Governor Ralston, and providing that the public service commission should have power to grant the right to charge such rates to any railroad company, that showed it was needful, the house failed to pass the bill. This bill would have given the interurban companies of the state the same sort of a privilege. The list of bills'tj&at; the governor will kill by refusing to sign from now till the expiration of the ten-day period he has in which to exercise his option probably will be large. There was talk of reviving the bill for a referendum by the people on the question of calling a constitutional convention, but it did not seem probable that the last day of the session would find any of the solons ready to again consider this proposal, which also has been introduced by Jones in the house and Ballou in the senate. The Jones bill, following the death of the proposed Stotsenburg amendments to the constitution, which occurred in the house Saturday, March 6, likewise was killed by a vote that needed but five more representatives to have passed the bill. Talk was heard of reconsidering the measure, and Representative Dunmire and Miedreich entered a motion for reconsideration. This motion, it was believed, was illegal.

Besides these measures, the legislature passed the bill providing for an appropriation to relieve the farmers, who were sufferers from the foot and mouth disease epidemic; killed the bill, which would have placed all press associations in the state under the public service commission; killed a long list of bills relating principally to Indianapolis* city government; passed the Deck stream pollution bill, which gives citizens along White river the right to Sue Indianapolis for damages occuring because of stream pollution; passed the statewise flood prevention bill, drawn by the state flood commission; acted on the woman’s hour’s of labor bill ; amended the public service oopamißsion act in minor details; killed woman suffrage bills; and passed no road legislation of any importance. The bills signed by the governor those vetoed bv him and those, which

were allowed to become Jaws without his signature, follow:

SIGNED BY GOVERNOR. HOUSE BILLS. I. Branaman. Providing for an ap- ! propriation of $115,000 to defray the expenses of the assembly. 8. Davis. Amending the incorporation laws to- provide for the incorporation of companies to boost civic enterprises. 11. Symons. To require all steam and Interurban roads to provide flagmen or automatic gongs at all public , crossings where views of tracks are : Obstructed. . ' 14. Field.' Amending the fishing laws so that trotlines or setlines may carry hooks smaller than those known as 6-0 Kirby, which the existing laws designate as legal for such fishing apparatus. 17. Scott. Providing for the continuance of the Indiana Battle Flag comjnission and an appropriation of $7,500 to carry forward the work, of the commission in preserving battle flags. 18.. Branaman. To legalize the incorporation of the town of Medora, Jackson county. j 19. Thompson. Amending the laws relating to the bonds of school trus- | tees, to reduce these bonds approx- i imately 50 per cent. I 28. Davis. (Of Lake.) To legal-1 ize the incorporation of the town of i St. Jdhns, Lake county. 32. Bos. Amending the laws gov- j eriiing election of road supervisors ■ and changing the date of such election I from November to December. 56. Coons. Authorizing county auditors to issue quit claim deeds to cor- J rect irregularities In titles of lands , owned in school sectibns, when titles have become defective through burn-; ing of records. (Applying to the situation in Boone county.) 37. Erny. Allowing owners of birds and animals bred in captivity to sell , or ship them unamenable to laws pro-1 hibitlng killing or shipping of such ' wild animals or birds.

41. Miller. Providing that proper-, tionate amount of liquor license fees! be refunded to license owner when latter’s license is revoked, following its Issuance in good faith by county authorities. 62. McCullough. Providing for commission to determine route of Abraham Lincoln and his father’s family through Indiana when they traveled through the state of Illinois. ... 63. Perry Davis. The anti-lobby law. 67. Bendel. Defining how special judges shall be- appointed In criminal cases. 73. Scott. Providing for an appropriation of SI,OOO to be used in a« sitting to defray the expenses of the 1 annual encampment of the G. A. 11. in Indiana. 80. Overmyer. Providing for an appropriation of $lB4 to the city of Valparaiso, the amount having been paid erroneously into the statp treasury. 81. Jinnett. Providing that war veterans may hunt and fish without a license in Indiana. 87. Deniston. Providing for the relief of William T. and Lucy A. Barnmerlin, by directing the governor to issue them a patent for lands located in Fulton county, and now in possession of the state, as swamp lands, the price to be $1.25 an acre. 92. Southard. Amending the mechanics lien law to give contractors of private work right to file lien against property owners for work done outside property line, such as sidewalks.

113. Evelo. Providing for giving of references by employers to employes, the law effecting only persons employing 100 or more men. The law is aimed to wipe out the “blacklist.” 135. Branaman. Changing the law regarding legal advance payments of state funds in county treasuries to state, to allow the state board of finance to make such calls at will. Provides penalty for failure of county auditors to obey. 148. Deniston. Providing for the preservation of 140 acres of land in Lawrence county as forest reserve and providing for the sale of the same to Indiana universities by the state. 154. Hyers. (Of Madison.) Providing that in case of disappearance of person for a period of five years, he shall, after thirty-day publication of notice, be adjudged dead in law.

173. Van Horne. Amending joint high school laws to invest authority for maintenance and care of school buildings in school commissioners and township trustees. 175. Harvey. Providing for incorporation, without cost, of art associations operating without profit, and providing for assistance of such association (John Herron Art Institute, Indianapolis) by taxes. 182. Deniston. Providing for the execution of bond by township trustee of not less than the amount. of money handled at “any one time, thus cutting the present bonds down about one-half. 189. Cunningham. Legalizing a deed of conveyance executed by Richard B. Runyan, county auditor of Miami county, to heirs of John Myers, who died in 1879. 216. Harvey. To amend statutes concerning court procedure to provide for clearer statement of charges' in criminal cases. 231. Eschbach. Providing specifications from sanitary standpoint for erection of schoolhouses in cities and towns which do not have building code, in order to allow the construction of a building at Warsaw. 262. Lyday. Amending laws concerning appellate court practice with respect to demands for continuances. 275. McClaskey. Authorizing coum tv council of Steuben cotintv to maks

appropriation for relief of G. W. Wellerman. 303. Buller. Providing for legal formation of thrashermen’s mutual insurance companies. 304, Bendel. Providing that township trustees may not sell gravel from township pits without first advertising for bids. -a ; 311. Hagerty. Providing for another appropriation of $60,000 for the continuance of the expenses of the Indiana Panama-Pacific Exposition commission. 333. Mendenhall. Legalizing the incorporation of the town of Amo. 508. Hickam. To fix the terms of court in the Tenth judicial circuit. 56. Soft. Amending act, establishing soldiers’ and sailors’ orphans’ home to provide for the taking of orphans of soldiers and sailors into homes. 265. Mason. Concerning conveyance of property from civil townships to corresponding school townships. 241. McGonagle. Providing for estimates of township expense by township trustees an£ providing for unanimous vote of the townsh'p advisory board on any appropriation. 256. Reeves. Amending laws relating to appellate court procedure to legalize court’s taking cognizance of certain patters left out of transcript or 1:111 of 483. Follmar. Providing tha£ In any township where there is one voting precinct or more incorporated towns, the board of county commissioners shall order the voting place in the largest town. H. J. R. 2. Habermel. Concerning the old state capitol at Corydon. ' 110. Waltz. To prevent tampering with safety devices on railroads. 121. Davis. (Of Montgomery.) Putting cleaning of ditches and drains under supervision of township trustee. ' 237. Hickman. Providing that any person sentenced to the Indiana State Farm who escapes shall be guilty of felony, and attaching a penalty of imprisonment in the state prison from

two to five years. - 246. McClaskey. Amending the law r which divides cases by classes between the appellate and supreme courts to include those arisen from orders granting or refusing to grant motions to dissolve temporary injunctions; 251, Coons. Amending school laws to provide that attendance officers be appointed at the meeting of the county board of education, May 1. 338. Harvey. Providing that Indianapolis school city may allow nonresidents of “Indiana to attend vocational schools on payment of tuition and empowering such school city to accept trust funds for such schools and issue bonds applying to Technical Institute. 399. Wood. Allowing county commissioners, on petition of twenty-five freeholders of any tefwnship to levy tax of not to exceed 2 per cent of the taxables in the township for the aid of railroads, ■which are believed to be public benefits.

420. Branaman. Regular appropriations bill, in conformity with report of visitation committee. 493. Friend. Fixing the terms of holding court in the Fourth judicial circuit, 587. Davis. (Of Lake.) Authorizing the advisory board to levy tax in township, including incorporated city’s property, to pay township expenses, 74. Jones. The direct primary election law. 176. Sare. The workmen’s compensation act, creating the industrial board of Indiana. 415. Branaman. Specific appropriation bill.

\ SENATE BILLS. 1. Ballou. Concerning allowances for burial expenses of pld soldiers. 6. Mast On. Legalizing certain highway bonds already sold, where the moqey has been spent on investments. 7. Van Auken. Amendment to corrupt practices act, so that provisions of Sec. 1 shall not apply to candidates for county council, township advisory board and constables. 10. Clarke. To provide for direct election of senators and authorizing the governor to fill vacancies for unexpired terms. Designed to create necessary machinery for federal amendment to constitution for direct election of senators.

17. Norma. Permitting undertakers to delay burial of persons dying of consumption, after proper disinfection. 27. Grube. For the creation of a state commission to assist the adult blind of the state. 32. White. To create a new judicial circuit of Parke county. 54. Neal. Clearing up title to lands in Boone county. 55. Van Nuys. Repealing act put on statute books in 1913, although it was not passed by the legislature, fixing the salary of the recorder of Lake county. 69. Clarke. Conferring rights of administration of state parks in Indianapolis on board of park commissioners of Indianapolis. 77. Norma. Providing for clearing up of title for lands on which school fund money was borrowed fronj 1821 to 1849. 82. Yarling. Regulating the parole of prisoners from the state prison along the line of suggestions in governor’s message to legislature. 88. Reldelbach. For the relief of Henry W. Phillipson, and clearing his title to certain lands in Pulaski (JounJty. 98. Thornton. Making it 4 -unlawful for a public utility to pay money from its treasury for the purpose of concealing its income from the publie •service commission.

, 112. "White. Providing that when i a pupil is transferred from one school i corporation, the school corporation : wherein the pupil resides, pay the • school corporation to which the pupil lis transferred an amount equal to the per capita cost of such schools In that ■ county, 114. Ballou. Providing that by showing reasonable cause,, a guardian may not lose his allowance for services when he fails to file a report at the proper time and providing that he shall only pay out of his allowance the actual loss caused by his failure I to file the report. 116. Fleming. Changing the mode of procedure of the park board of the city of Fort Wayne. 133. Cleveland. Providing for the revision and codification of the laws relating to public health and medicine. 148. Faulknor. For a bill to legalize certain township debts and the acts of advisory boards, and to authoiize the issuing of warrants or bonds therefor. Referring to local situation in Laporte county. 165. Kinder. Permitting two or more towns to take joint action for the establishment of public parks and their maintenance. 198. Harmon. Declaring tuberculosis a dangerous disease and providing for the control and treatment of it in Indiana. 214. Rlnear. Providing that residents of towns of less than 10,000 population may petition for an election to determine whether a city building shall be erected or repaired. 222. Elkman. Prohibiting the use of automobile searchlights in hunting and prohibiting shooting on or across a highway. 237. Reidelbach. Legalizing acts of county commissioners in authorizing road work in contiguous townships.

258. Thornton. Legalizing acts of school trustees in New Albany. 331. Van Nuys. Appropriating $125,000 to pay for stock killed because of foot and mouth disease. 29. Kinder. Raising Gary to a city of the second class. 41. Harmon. Providing for the building of levees of flood prevention and the issuance of bonds for that purpose by Indianapolis. Known as , the Indianapolis flood prevention bill. : 101. Fleming. For enabling twelve retired Indianapolis school teachers to have the benefit of a teachers’ fund to be raised by taxation. I 117. Jackson. Making the non-sup- 1 port of a wife or child a misdemeanor and authorizing the county commissioners to put a person convicted of such an offense to work to pay his fine. Known as the "lazy husband” i law. ’

351. Van Nuys. Providing for the appointment within ten days after the passage of the act of a head of the state board of accounts by the governor for a term of four years. Thus, it is supposed, extending the term of Gilbert H. Hendren two years beyond that for which he was appointed. I 15. McCormick. Making it unlaw-; ful for any person to permit infected swine to run at large or to come in contact with any other swine. i 46. Neal. Providing that 250 copies of the state documents be given to the ’ state library for public distribution. 106. Elssner. Giving the supreme' court power to mandate a circuit court, I superior court or criminal court to grant a change of venue in any cases. ■ 113. Giving the circuit or superior i court of any county the authority to r create drainage and sanitary districts. 127. White. Authorizing the sale I and investment of the proceeds of real and personal property in certain I cases and regulating the practice therein. 160. VanNuys. Giving cities righty to take up street improvement bonds/ which have never been paid, and which are in the hands of innocent

purchasers. 232. Neal. Defining fraternal beneficiary associations, regulating them and exempting them from the state Insurance laws. 239. Engle. Giving the public service commission power over grade crossings in cities and towns Of 20,000 population. 269. Reidelbach. Authorizing courts to terminate bonds of executors, administrators, etc., when necessary. 285. Grube. Requiring full-size pillow cases and sheets on beds in all hotels. Known as the bed-sheet bill. 297. Maston. Providing that county commissioners may appropriate lands necessary for proposed Toledo-Chicago canal, provided the United States government decides to build the canal. 318. Fleming. Making it unlawful for any utility to grant a frank or privilege to any candidate or public officer. , , 336. Chambers. To divide public printing into classes and to have bids submitted on each class. 339. Elkman. Enabling state and national banks to accept and execute trusts of any and every description. 388. Van Auken. Providing for the creation, organization, management and control of drainage districts in counties having a city of from 60,000 to 68,000 population. 179. Ballou. Giving the county commissioners supervision of the repair and improvement of ditches, and prescribing the duties of the commissioners and nothing certain exceptions. 378. Summers. To provide that when an heir to an estate has not been in the state to claim his rights for seven years, the next nearest heirs may claim the estate. BILLS VETOED. HOUSE BILLS. 120. Jones. Providing for levying tax in township, including municipal

corporations therein, to pay expense of trustee and that of his office. 122. Deck, Raising mortgage exemption limit to $1,200 from S7OO, except that exemption might not amount to more than one-half of value of real estate concerned. 277. Davis. (Of Lake.) Providing that in townships in which threefourths or more territory is included in city, township trustee shall have power to levy a tax upon entire taxable property of township for purpose of paying salary of township trustee. SENATE 40. Culbertson. Providing that number of weight of watermelons in a shipment be specified by the consignor and making provjZions for public scales to weigh shipments.

LAWS WITHOUT EXECUTIVE APPROVAL. HOUSE BILLS. 98. To authorize the construction of a coliseum in Fort Wayne. ALLOWED APPROVAL HOUS BIL D 79. Morris. Providing that any incorporated town with not more than 2,000 Inhabitants and with’ no indebtedness can vote to abolish school board and turn management of schools over to township trustees. 183.- Dunmire. Amending act appointing state entomologist and defining duties. 492. Sare. Provides for service of process on receivers for firms, etc., when not domiciled in the state, so that, an agent may be served. A SENATE BILLS. ' 156. Summers. Providing that bank or trust company, when it shall have required real estate or a nine-ty-nine year leasehold, shall be allowed to deduct the assessed valuation of such real estate from its capital stock and surplus valuation. 38. McCormick. Providing for the establishment and maintenance of joint high school districts.