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Show Utah Legislators Get Down To Real Business as House And Senate Committees Act Sanpete County Solons in Forefront of Lawmaking Efforts; Fresch-knecht Fresch-knecht Introduces Senate Bill By TJ. S. P. A. Service Confronted with nearly 200 proposed laws and statute stat-ute changes, the twenty-first session of the state legislature legisla-ture is now in the third week of its deliberations 'down to brass tacks' in hte consideration of legislation affecting' every man, woman and child in Utah. The 83 legislators traveling full steam ahead on committee-reported bills have before them for adoption or rejection measures affecting the pocketbooks of the citizenry in some 20-odd tax bills; the question of how hard liquor is to be controlled and sold in 3, with a so-called so-called compromise measure forthcoming; the financing and management of schools and school funds in 20 or more; increased safety on public highways in 7; court procedure in at least 23; labor problems and working1 conditions in nearly 10, and many miscellaneous proposals for new laws reaching into practically every phase of nublic and private life. Important tax measures added to those heretofore introduced include a contemplated increase in. the state sales tax from 2 to 3 per cent; several constitutional a-mendments a-mendments giving future legislatures powers in fixing the state tax system, and bills providing for the control and distribution of tax -raised revenues, especially as to school and motor fuel tax monies. Along the line of tax easements, owners of certain deinquent tax properties were cheered last week by the speedy enactment into law of a bill extending the period of redemption from January 1, 1935 to April 1, 1935. The Senate Joint Resolution proposing ratification by Utah of the child labor amendment to the federal constitution con-stitution was voted down in the lower house after 'having passed the senate by a 19 to 4 vote. Opposition came largely large-ly from the farm bloc, members of which viewed the a-mendment a-mendment as an encroachment on their rights to raise their children as they saw fit and to let them work if necessary. Labor hit in the defeat of the child labor resolution resolu-tion scored a victory in the quick passage by the house of the Peterson bill limiting the hours of labor in underground under-ground mines to eight hours per day. The measure carried car-ried with but one negative vote. Proponents of the child labor resolution will be given another opportunity to vote for it when a motion for reconsideration re-consideration is ballotted on shortly. The first senate measure to pass the upper house was the Huggins bill clarifying the law with reference to the time in which a creditor may begin an action in court. It has also passed the house and awaits the governor's signature to become a law. Opposition to proposed new laws seems strongest against the bill amending the state industrial-workmen's compensation act; the bill diverting 10 per cent of gasoline gaso-line tax funds to city streets, and the tobacco tax measure. Small industries and homeowners are beginning to join with larger concerns in opposing the compensation law amendments as proposed. Senator Conrad Frischknecht of Centerfield voted no on the house joint resolution fixing the jobs and salaries of legislative employes in the interest of economy. He voted yes on the bill extending the time for redemption of tax delinquent properties; yes on the Huggins bill, an yes on the child labor resolution. He introduced a bill reducing publication cost on the delinquent tax list. Representatve T. W. Jensen of Mt. Pleasant voted yes on the tax delinquent properties bill and on the Peterson Peter-son underground mine work measure. He voted no on the child labor resolution and spoke against it, citing his own experiences of having been helped by work on a farm. He had never yet seen small children working in factories and that while he sympathized with the labor movement he felt more keenly for those with big families, he said. Representative O. G. Sorenson of Axtell voted as did Mr. Jensen on the three measures, but did not oppose the child labor resolution by an address on the floor of the house. |