The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 13

THE COURIER-JOURNAL, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1974 A 13 In Committee, Failure to DinilDn OWT win panel's approval may ct en Alni Hfuwiw Cota Tha rmmrnl hoc urtftA rinlav nn the Murray State The council has urged delay on the kill bill on Murray veterinary school in tiVnr etatpc crhnnlc in thp Tl(ar fll- TVio nnmrniHaa laimriWu nnrt(f thaca iht nvoniitivn hrnnnh nf ei in other states scnools in me near iu- The committee favorably reported these the executive hranrh of state envern. ture. Blume said if the council did determine that Kentucky needs a school, at Murray or elsewhere, he would strongly support its creation. "But I've got to listen to the council, and right now it's saying we don't need one now." On a roll call vote, Blume, Reps. Bill Reynolds, D-Allen, and Edward Brown, D-Bowling Green, abstained from voting.

Voting for the bill were Reps. Bruce Blythe, R-Louisville; Harris; Terry McBrayer, D-Greenup; Bobby Richardson, D-Glasgow, and Arthur Schmidt, R-Cold Spring. Opposed were Reps. Joe Clarke, D-Dan-ville; Billy Paxton, D-Central City; John Swinford, D-Cynthiana; Dwight Wells, D-Richmond, and Committee Chairman Charles Wible, D-Owensboro. Reps.

Harold DeMarcus, R-Stanford, and William Donnermeyer, D-Bellevue, were absent. By RICHARD WILSON Courier-Journal Staff Writer FRANKFORT, Ky. The controversial Murray State University veterinary school bill fell three votes short yesterday when its supporters attempted to dislodge it from the House State Government Committee. After several committee members and two supporters of the measure, Senate Bill 69, spoke, only five committee members voted to report the bill favorably to the House floor. Eight votes are required.

Five committee members voted against giving a favorable report, three did not vote and two were absent. Several supporters of the bill later privately conceded that yesterday's action may have doomed SB 69 for the session. But Sen. Pat McCuiston, D-Pembroke, the sponsor, later said he was still optimistic that enough votes could be rallied to dislodge the bill. School retirement bill is By DON WALKER Courier-Journal Staff Writer FRANKFORT, Ky.

The Senate Counties and Special Districts Committee yesterday reapproved House Bill 173 after restoring it to its original form. This measure would require local school boards to place full-time, non-teaching employes under the County Employes' Retirement System by July 1, 1975. The committee removed an amendment it added to the bill a week ago to make the action nonmandatory for local boards until the state made funds available to pay the employer's share of retirement fund costs. Action at a glance Action by Kentucky legislators yesterday produced these stories: A city-county split of the Jefferson delegation seems to be the latest by-product of school merger action Page A 1. The House approved bills getting forth a tenant-landlord code and giving judges pay raises and defeated bills that would have revised the county fees system and removed sections of laws discriminating against women this page.

The Senate put limits on and passed a bill allowing citizens to sue polluters naxe page. A measure to preserve "historically or economically significant" areas was introduced next page. The veterinary school bill couldn't muster enough votes to get out of committee, leaving a UK student feeling "like I've been killed" until she learns there's still a chance stories, this page and Page 5. Student quota bill gains The House Rent code, judges' pay bills pass By BILL BILLITER Courier-Journal Political Editor FRANKFORT, Ky. With no debate or discussion, the Senate State Government Committee yesterday favorably reported SB 108, to require a geographical quota, system for admission of medical, dental and legal students to state colleges and universities.

SB 108, which now goes to the full Senate, would: Require that each of Kentucky's seven congressional districts be allocated 10 per cent of the enrollment positions for the entering class in the colleges of medicine, dentistry and law. Allocate 15 per cent of the remaining enrollments to the state at-large. Limit out-of-state enrollments to 15 per cent of the entering classes. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Denver Knuckles, R-Middlesboro, said in many cases qualified applicants cannot gain admission to the state's medical, dental Holiday to honor Dr.

King advances The Courier-Journal Bureau FRANKFORT, Ky. House and Senate committees yesterday favorably reported identical bills to designate Jan. 15 as "Martin Luther King Day" and make it an annual state holiday. Jan. 15 was the assassinated rights leader's birthday.

HB 220 was favorably reported by the House State Government Committee, and SB 78 was favorably reported by the Senate State Government Committee. SB 69 would designate University as the site for the veterinary medicine school. The measure, which passed the Senate 23-9, carries no appropriation. This means that if it became law, financing would have to await action by a future legislature. Two SB 69 supporters urged the committee to approve the bill, primarily because the state needs additional veterinarian's.

Sen. Nelson Allen, D-Russell, said other state universities had won new programs or schools in recent years, and added, "I believe it's Murray's time on the timetable." Rep. George Harris, D-Salem, urging favorable committee action, charged that the state Council on Public Higher Education was exerting undue influence. Harris said the council's proper role was to "make recommendations to the legislature, not tell us what laws to make." would have made the proposal inapplicable in case a written contract was signed by a landlord and his tenant. Rep.

William Kenton, D-Lexington, urged defeat of the amendment, which he said would "gut" the bill, which he is sponsoring. Rep. Don Stephens, D-Lexington, the amendment's sponsor, said it would merely insure protection of "the free enterprise system." Without the amendment, Stephens contended, "the bill sets up a state lease." Kenton said the legislation is needed to replace a "confusing and inequitable" landlord-tenant legal relationship based on English common law and dating to the time of vthe feudal system." The measure would also provide for better enforcement of local laws govern-' ing housing standards, Kenton said. Long study by a legislative interim committee, which heard "hundreds" of witnesses, resulted in a compromise bill that was agreeable to a number of organized groups representing both tenants and landlords, Kenton said. In general, the code would require the landlord to keep the property safe and healthful and would forbid the tenant to abuse the property.

If either party failed to make repairs for which he was responsible, the bill provides that the other party could, after due notice, cause the repairs to be made. In such cases, the landlord could add the cost to the rent if the tenant was at fault, or the tenant could deduct the charges from his rent payment if the landlord was at fault. The House yesterday passed several other measures previously approved by the Senate. SB 25, which passed 78-0, would permit offices and courts of magistrates in Jefferson County to move from their districts to the proposed new Jefferson County court building. Another measure, SB 11, would lower the age of parents from 21 to 18 to be defendants in adoption proceedings.

The vote was 81-1. fees system, Offices affected by HB 21 and their compensation maximums are: Commonwealth's attorneys, $17,500, a $1,900 increase. In counties of more than 75,000 population, circuit clerk, county clerk, sheriff and jailer, (including expense allowances) increased to $17,500. The same officials in counties with a population of less than 75,000, (includ- ing expenses) an increase to $15,600. The difference in pay for officials based on population and assumed workload was a new feature that Graves said was needed.

However, Rep. Phil King, D-Covington, claimed that the difference in pay was unfair because "many officials in rural counties work only part-time." Graves denied this, contending that no county official works only part-time. In less populous counties, the officials must do all the work, since they are usually unable to afford assistants, Graves said. HB 21 also would have established a uniform system of county budgeting and accounting and would have required each ment, which is already in effect by executive order. SB 172, to require the Legislative Re-j search Commission to publish a monthly registry of administrative regulations proposed by state government agencies, HB 272, to designate the honeybee the state insect.

HB 603, to create a historic township, commission to plan and restore Washing-;" ton, in Mason County, as a historic fron- tier town. HB 581, to create a new procedure to calculate disability and death benefits'-under the state retirement system. HB 650, to permit alternate methods for cities and counties to finance bonds to construct pollution abatement facilities. approved Special Districts Committee approved these bills for House consideration: HB 586, to give a county judge a tie- breaking vote on the dismissal as well as the hiring of a county employe by fiscal court. HB 319, to require any fire district that levies a tax to have an annual audit.

HB 253, to designate county buildings used to provide multiple services as "re- gional governmental centers." In Jefferson County's case this would relieve three proposed regional centers 1 from a state law requirement that any additional "courthouse" building be lo-' cated according to specific provisions. in Senate The committee amended HB 1 to strip it of its purpose of ousting "press row" from the third floor of the Capitol but delayed a final vote. The committee also delayed action on HB 22, an "open records bill," despite testimony in the bill's behalf by its sponsor, Rep. Joe Clarke, D-Danville, and Bruce Van Dusen, editor and publisher of The Voice Jeffersonian in Jefferson County. Harrods Creek 1 taken off bill! 7 The Courier-Journal Bureau 4 FRANKFORT, Ky.

A bill to add new streams to Kentucky's "wild sys-" tern made its second trip out of com- mittee yesterday, but only after Harrods i Creek and Greasy Creek were removed-from the bill. As amended by the Senate State Gov- ernment Committee, Senate Bill 99 contains only part of Green River, Cum- berland River and Rock Creek. i Senate Majority Leader Tom Garrett, D-Paducah, said public hearings in Leslie and Oldham counties had "shown an overwhelming response" against having Greasy (in Leslie) and Harrods Creek (in Oldham) included in the bill. After being amended, the wild rivers bill was favorably reported to the Senate. It had previously been favorably reported Feb.

1 but was recommitted Feb. 13. Senate Minority Leader Eugene Stuart, R-Prospect, was the only committee mem-, ber to vote against elimination of Har- 1 rods Creek from the bill. Stuart'-s district; in Jefferson County takes in a portion of Harrods Creek. v' approved is II.

Concurrent Res. 50, to encourage the employment of the visually handicapped. HB 83, to create a Bureau for Aging in the Department for Human Resources. Legislative schedule Both the House and Senate will meet at 2 p.m. today.

A joint meeting of the Appropriations and Revenue committees will be at noon in Room 305. Senate committee meetings today: 9 a.m. Agriculture and Natural Resources, Room 327. 9:30 a.m. Judiciary, 302.

10 a.m. Highways and Traffic Safety, 300B. 11 a.m. Banking and Insurance, 300B; Judiciary, 302. Noon Public Utilities and Transportation, 327.

House meetings today: 9:30 a.m Highways and Traffic Safety, 305. 10 a.m. Judiciary, 307. 11 a.m. Agriculture anil Natural Resources, 305.

Noon Banking and Insurance, 305A. 1 p.m. Jefferson County subcommittee on education, legislators' cafeteria; State Government, 307; Cities, 302. Hungarian crimes decrease BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) Hungary's chief prosecutor said 125,400 criminal acts were committed in the Communist state last year, somewhat less than in 1972. issue until it can study the state's need for a school and report to the 1976 General Assembly.

Harris also criticized a "metropolitan newspaper's" reference to "sticking" the veterinary school at Murray. Presumably referring to The Courier-Journal, Harris said the editorial writers didn't make any references to "sticking" state funds into renovation of the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville or $31 million allocated toward construction of a new University of Louisville teaching hospital. House Speaker Norbert Blume, D-Louisville, led the attack against SB 69. "I don't think this committee or the legislature should tell the council where it (the veterinary school) should be," Blume said. Blume said Kentucky would be gaining additional space for veterinary students Sljt Couritr-Sonrnal-? The Legislature SB 105 would permit police and firemen's pension funds in third-class cities to revise re-employment and repayment provisions.

The vote was 86-0. House bills passed yesterday: HB 444, which would permit 18-year-olds to stock, arrange displays and tend cash registers in retail stores selling malt beverages. 49-38. HB 40, to exempt certain handicapped children from attending public schools. 81-0.

HB 271, to permit special arrangements with another school district or private organization for education of exceptional children if special classes are not available in their own district. 90-0. HB 395, to require fiscal court approval of county judge's appointments to water district boards of commissioners. 82-1. HB 521, which would require service stations to post their per gallon gas prices on signs observable to passing motorists.

44-25. HB 544, which would extend the state plumbing-code regulations to plumbers in all counties, instead of just those in counties with cities of the first four classes. 71-3 House Concurrent Resolution 8, to request the U.S. Congress to appropriate funds to develop a more efficient automotive carburetor. 71-5.

The House also concurred in Senate amendments to HB 72, which would require public notice prior to construction of a landfill operation. The bill was repassed 72-0 and sent to the governor. The House yesterday also recommitted two bills to committees after extensive debate on them. HB 2, which would permit local-option elections on water fluoridation, was sent to the Health and Welfare Committee by a 46-36 vote. HB 320, which would require news media to correct "false or erroneous news items or information," was sent to the Committee on Business Organizations and Professions by a 47-38 vote.

sex bias bills of the officials to submit a budget to his fiscal court for approval. Under an amendment, Jefferson County officials would have continued to submit their budgets to a panel of circuit court judges and the county judge. King also opposed that amendment on the ground that it was discriminatory and was adopted only to win support of the Jefferson County delegation. Rep. Glenn White, D-Winchester, cautioned the members, "If you vote against this bill, you'll be voting against a pay raise for your county officials.

When they read the bill and realize this, they'll come crying to you." The House yesterday also defeated HB 368, a measure that would have eliminated sexual discrimination provisions of state law. The issue was debated for nearly 30 minutes after Rep. Arthur Schmidt, R-Cold Spring, proposed an amendment to abolish the state Commission on Women. Schmidt said women were arguing for equal rights while at the same time wanting a special women's commission. Equal rights, he said, would mandate creation of a Commission on Men.

His amendment was defeated 17 to 39. Another effort to sidetrack HB 368 was Kentucky bills: HB 170, to delete usage of certain motor fuel tax funds for expenditures on rural, secondary and municipal aid roads. HB 176, to transfer authority for certain boating regulations from the Department of Public Safety to the Division of Water Enforcement and Driver Licensing in the Bureau of Vehicle Regulation. HB 491, to permit the appointment of emergency employes to any position, rather than just to temporary positions. HB 493, to remove the requirement that dividends excluded for federal income tax purposes be included for state tax purposes.

HB 552, to permit Community Action Commissions to incorporate. SB 112, to regard the reorganization of The reapproved measure is now ready for Senate consideration. Representatives of school board and school administrator groups had urged that the bill be restored to its original form, Sen. William Quinlan, D-Louisville, committee chairman, said. This would mean all districts would have to pay the employer costs of the retirement program, as 35 districts do now.

The committee delayed action until next week on Senate Bill 231, which would abolish the controversial Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission. The commission has planning authority over Campbell and Kenton counties. Meanwhile, the House Counties and or law colleges because of limited enrollment and that SB 108 would remedy that situation. At a previous meeting, the committee had said it preferred to hear testimony from the Council on Public Higher Education before it acted on Knuckles' bill. Although Dr.

A. D. Albright, executive director of the council, was in the committee room yesterday, he was not called on to speak. Albright later told a reporter the council has taken no official position on SB 108 but "the professional schools have expressed doubts about the bill." Albright said that, with the exception of the law school at Northern Kentucky State College and the dental school at the University of Louisville, medical, dental and law schools in the state have less than 15 per cent enrollment by out-of-state students. As for congressional district quotas, Albright said professional schools have heretofore preferred not to have "geographical factors" controlling enrollments.

In other action, the Senate State Government Committee favorably reported: SB 5, which would outlaw "professional strikebreakers." SB 60, which would develop a "community work experience program" for welfare recipients. SB 221, a legislative reapportionment bill that would delete three Jefferson County precincts from Senate District 26, now represented by Sen. John Berry D-New Castle, and place those precincts in Senate. District 36, now represented by Sen. Eugene Stuart, R-Louis-ville.

SB 227, which would allow state bidding for capital construction on a total design-bid, package system. with dependent children that have an unemployed father in the home. Cost of the unemployed-father bill is estimated at $10.3 million the first year and $12.7 million the second year. Seventy-five per cent of the financing would come from federal funds. House Bill 85 and Senate Bill 27 would establish a program of short-term general assistance to persons needing temporary help and not otherwise qualifying for welfare benefits.

Cost of the general-assistance program has been estimated by the department at $6 million the first year and $7.5 million the second year. No federal matching funds are available, but the state and counties may share in the cost. The two committees also reported favorably companion bills to prohibit retail display of hypodermic needles or syringes and to require that records he kept on sales of such instruments. Sponsors of the bills HB 518 and SB 200 said their purpose is to curtail availability of needles and syringes to drug abusers. The House committee also reported favorably: HB 443, to allow dentists or dental surgeons to be affiliated with and practice in more than two professional service corporations or locations.

HB 608, to define a mobile home park as land containing four mobile home lots, instead of two lots. HB 496, to change the name of "junk yard" to "recycling yard" in various sections of state law. HB 587, to allow county-owned tuberculosis hospitals to treat patients with histoplasmosis and other pulmonary disease if available TB facilities are not utilized. HB 588, to allow county-owned tuberculosis hospitals to provide other health services if the facilities permit. Fundless welfare plans By RICHARD WILSON and DON WALKER Courier-Journal Staff Writers Ky.

The House yesterday approved Kentucky's first landlord-tenant code and passed a bill raising the pay of circuit and court of appeals judges and commissioners. The renters' code, which sets forth legal obligations of both parties in housing rentals, passed 70-19. House Bill 125 now goes to the Senate. The pay-raise bill, Senate Bill 126, now goes to the governor. The measure, which won 34-0 Senate approval earlier, passed the House 78-8.

Under SB 126, the annual salaries of appellate judges would be increased from $29,000 to those of appellate commissioners from $25,000 to $27,500, and those of circuit judges from $23,500 to $26,000. House Majority Leader John Swinford, D-Cynthiana, said the raises were needed "to assure the people of Kentucky that they have people well qualified to serve on courts of general jurisdiction and the highest court in Kentucky." Rep. Albert Robinson, R-Pittsburg, voiced the only opposition, contending that pay raises for jurors which he has championed should have a higher priority than salary increases for judges. Swinford said that the bill would ap-v propriate $299,100 in each of the next two fiscal years to support the pay raises. But Rep.

Joe Clarke, D-Danville, said the funds are not contained in the governor's proposed $4.4 billion 1974-76 budget. Clarke is chairman of the joint House-Senate committee that reviewed the budget. Rural and small-city housing would not be affected by the standards set forth in the proposed landlord-tenant code. Under an amendment offered by Rep. Gross Lindsay, D-Henderson, and adopted by the House, the bill would apply to Jefferson and Fayette counties and to other counties containing a city of the second class.

Defeated 40-42 was an amendment that county By DON WALKER and RICHARD WILSON Courier-Journal Staff Writers FRANKFORT, Ky. The House yesterday defeated a bill aimed at reform of the county fee system, which finances the operation of county government. House Bill 21 failed 39 to 54. However, an effort to put the "clincher" on the bill's defeat lost, 27 to 48, so its sponsor, Kep. uaiph Graves, D-Bard- well, could win reconsideration of his bill if a simple majority of the House mem bers approve.

Despite the bill's defeat, few members spoke against it. Some who did indicated they voted against it mainly because county officials in their districts oppose it. Graves claimed their opposition is ironic, since the bill would have brought raises for many county officials. The raises would have been accomplished by pooling the fees collected by county officials so excess fees from some officials could be used to increase the pay of other officials who did not collect enough fees to pay the maximum salaries allowed by law. By ANNE PARDUE Courier-Journal Staff Writer FRANKFORT, Ky.

Permissive legislation to allow the state Department for Human Resources to create two new welfare programs when funds are available was approved yesterday by the House and Senate Health and Welfare committees. No funds have been allocated for either program. House Bill 84 and Senate Bill 26 would allow the department to assist families defeated made by Rep. Charles Holbrook, R-Ash-land, who urged that it be recommitted to the Judiciary Committee for further study. Holbrook said many statutes repealed by the bill protect women from unfavorable labor practices.

He said HB 368 would wipe from the statutes such items as the prohibition against women working more than 60 hours a week. Rep. William Schmaedecke, R-Fort Micthcell, also urged recommitment of the bill. Holbrook's amendment lost by a 41 to 46 margin before the bill was then beaten 43 to 46. Rep.

Dotty Priddy, D-Louisville, one of three women in the House, urged defeat of the bill. "To cast a 'yes' vote for this is to remove all protection for women who want to be true women," she said. House Speaker Norbert Blume, D-Louisville, who urged passage, said the bill stemmed from a two-year study, authorized by the 1972 legislature, which also voted to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. HB 368 was designed to implement into Kentucky law some of the changes the equal rights amendment would bring about, if ratified..