Vidette-Messenger of Porter County from Valparaiso, Indiana • 4

4A The Vldette-Messenger, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 1994 STATE Mannweiler: We'll be efficient Motor voter bill is placed on hold The numbers of new representatives who took the oath of office told the story: The list of House rookies showed 17 Republicans and only one Democrat. I The federal motor voter act requires that voter registration be made available at vehicle license branches and other public offices. The act could put tens of thousands of eligible but unregistered residents on the voting rolls. The state AFL-CIO sued in federal court to force compliance.

The case is pending. lUW General Assembly i 1 JtL INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Rep. Paul Mannweiler has promised to reduce government meddling in peoples' lives and curb partisan warfare among lawmakers now that he's speaker of a Republican-controlled Indiana House of Representatives. The chamber's 56 Republicans and 44 Democrats a switch of 11 seats from the Democratic advantage the past two sessions should "join me in sharing these two visions," the Indianapolis lawyer said in his first address as leader of the 109th General Assembly. "The first, a House united without partisan rancor, will lead to our second, and more important vision, of less government interference in our lives," he told the annual legislative organization day gathering.

The Senate also met to swear in its 25 members 14 Republicans and 11 Democrats and select Robert Garton, R-Colum-bus, to an eighth two-year term as president pro tern, making him the longest-serving leader in Senate history. Republicans strengthen their Paul Mannweiler control of the Senate and now hold a 30-20 advantage. Mannweiler pledged action on a Republican "contract" with voters similar in spirit to the "Contract With America" signed in Washington by GOP congressional candidates. The state GOP version calls for a reduced auto excise tax, an end to what Mannweiler termed deficit state spending, new controls on property taxes, tougher treatment of criminals, reduced welfare, and teaching values in public schools. "We will act on this contract." The Republican wave that swept Democrats from control of Con- gress also worked to unite the General Assembly under the GOP for the first time since the 1986 elections.

The numbers of new representatives who took the oath of office told the story: The list of House rookies showed 17 Republicans and only one Democrat. One Republican who joined the past Assembly at mid-term returned, making 18 GOP members serving their first terms. Mannweiler served as speaker in 1986-87, and was co-speaker with Democrat Michael Phillips of Boonville the following two years when the House was split 50-50. by Thomas Wyman The Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS Indiana won't meet the New Year's Day deadline imposed by Congress to implement expanded voter registration. A compromise effort to push a bill through the General Assembly's annual organization day on Tuesday collapsed.

Republicans, who now control both the House and Senate, refused to accept a Democrat-proposed central computer registry. House Democrats, whose votes were needed for a super-majority to suspend rules if the measure was to be passed in one day, refused to accept the GOP bare-bones version that would keep paper records. "We could not get assurances from the House" that Democrats would agree to suspend the rules, said Sen. Richard Thompson, R-North Salem. "Without that i assurance, there was no need for (the Senate) to go through the business of getting something passed here." Now.

the issue won't be resolved until the 109th General Assembly returns to work on Jan. 4. Thompson said the Senate Elections Committee he chairs will hold hearings on the GOP version early in December. If the Senate and House act quickly in January, a bill could go to the governor's desk by mid-January, Thompson said. Once in session, Republicans won't need Democratic votes to pass their slimmer version of motor-voter registration.

Republicans hold a 56-44 majority in the House and a 30-20 advantage in the Senate. Nice job; you want it? I'll take yours Democrats quietly bide their time INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Democrats, cut off from any real power in the legislative process after four years as the House majority party, accepted minority status as their grim new reality. "Now that we've had a taste of the majority, I'm not looking forward to this," said Rep. J. Jeff Hays, D-Evansville.

Relegated to minority status, Democrats can push ideas and initiatives only indirectly, through Republican-drafted legislation that moves at the discretion of the majority, Hays said. "The only role left, and the role I hope to play, is to be a voice in opposition." "In a spirit of loyal opposition, we have to question and make sure their legislation is appropriate," he said. During the 1994 session that ended in March, the House, then under Democratic control, and the Republican Senate split over basically the same sticking point whether or not to have a computerized state registry that could cost nearly $6 million the first two years. The federal act requires that voter registration be made available at vehicle license branches and other public offices. The act could put tens of thousands of eligible but unregistered residents on the voting rolls.

The state AFL-CIO sued in federal court to force compliance. The case is pending. 1 Republicans had expressed some concern that a judge might order the state to adopt the more expensive computer registry if lawmakers failed to act before Jan. 1. But Thompson said the Legislature can act as quickly as the judiciary to solve the problem.

"I can't imagine a judge who sees us doing something by mid-January would mandate anything," he said. SULLIVAN (AP) John Waterman, a county sheriff who was sworn in as state senator on Tuesday, is swapping jobs in Sullivan County with his chief deputy. Bill Miller was chosen by county Republican precinct committeemen to replace Waterman, who had to resign as sheriff to become state senator from Indiana's 39th Senate District. But until Jan. 1, when newly elected Ed Martindale takes office as sheriff, Waterman will be Miller's chief deputy.

The two lawmen swapped jobs because state law says one person cannot hold two "lucrative, public offices," said Mark Reed, a member of the county sheriffs merit board. The swap was necessary for Waterman to remain with the department in order to receive a pension. State law barred Waterman from seeking a third consecutive term as sheriff. "I would have run again as sheriff if I could have," he said. "I do look forward, though, to working in the senate to try to bring some money to Sullivan County and the 39th District." Because Miller served in a merit position before becoming sheriff, he will stay with the department as a deputy.

"He may not be the chief' deputy after the first of the year. That's up to the new sheriff," Reed said. SANTA ARRIVES AT DOWNTOWN VALPARAISO FRIDAY, NOV. 25 SATURDAY, NOV. 26 MONDAY, NOV.

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