The Star Press from Muncie, Indiana • Page 3

PAGE 3A LOCALSTATE NEWS THE MUNCIE STAR, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7. 1992 Senate OKs Ban on Local Measured Service Doll Amendment Tightens Wording of House Measure By JODI PERRAS Associated Press Writer INDIANAPOLIS Indiana telephone companies would be prohibited from imposing any form of local measured telephone service on their customers under an amendment approved Thursday by the Indiana Senate. The Senate voted 26-24 for Sen. Maurice A. Doll's amendment, which tightened language in House Bill 1249 that measured service charges based on one or more of the following: minutes of call, distance of call, number of calls and time of day.

"My amendment very, very, very clearly and simply says that it's any individual element of the four or any combination. It's perfectly clear clear as could be," said Doll, D-Vincennes. Sen. Robert L. Meeks, a LaGrange Republican who sponsored the bill in the Senate, opposed Doll's amendment on the grounds that the language in his bill was adequate.

Meeks's bill would ban local telephone rates "based upon minutes of use, distance of call, number of calls or time of day." By joining the four elements opponents had attacked. The bill will be eligible for a final Senate vote today, when the Senate must complete its work on House bills. Beginning Monday, conference committees will work out differences between House- and Senate-passed legislation. Lobbyists who oppose the controversial billing method said H.B. 1249 was an authorization for local measured service in the guise of a ban.

The debate became a lesson in the rules of bill-drafting concerning the use of the word "or" to connect a series of phrases. Under Doll's amendment, telephone companies would be prohibited from imposing local telephone together with the word "or," opponents said it would allow local measured service based on two or more elements, such as number of calls and minutes of use. "I'm not sure if we're conducting an English class or we're actually debating what's proper to ban measured service," Meeks said. "My bill, as currently in the shape it's in, does exactly what it's intended to do." And that intention, measured service opponents said, is to allow telephone companies to charge their customers for each local call they make. "When we go home at the end of this session, if House Bill 1249 becomes law, let's tell people it House Wants Revenue Department to Regulate Bingo Goodall Free-Speech Measure really is a ban," said Doll, D-Vincennes.

A temporary ban on local measured service expired last summer. There are no current requests for LMS by Indiana Bell or any other telephone company pending before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. H.B. 1149 also requires state regulators to approve a plan for Caller ID, an optional telephone service that allows a person receiving a call to see the number of the person calling him. The Senate voted 18-29 to reject an amendment offered by Sen.

Anthony C. Maidenberg, D-Marion, that would have deleted the Caller ID provision from the bill. Passes Hurdle amendment had won the support of a potential opponent, Rep. Stephen Gabet, D-Grabill. "Gabet told me we met all of his objections and he was not going to oppose it," Goodall said.

Gabet last year thought the bill went too far by extending freedom-of-expression protections to all student expression, including lapel buttons, T-shirts and posters. This year's amendment extends the First Amendment to student publications except those deemed obscene, indecent or libelous. A freedom-of-speech dispute last year involved Huntington North High School, where the student newspaper accepted advertisements from Planned Parenthood. The school principal refused to give in to a group of parents wanting the ads removed. should only DB "I'm surprised nobody tried to take it out," Rep.

Hurley Goodall agreed to the change before the full House passed Senate Bill 179 on second reading. S.B. 179 was scheduled for third and final reading Thursday night or today. Goodall met much more resist-ence when he introduced his measure at the 1991 Legislature. The Senate killed his bill after the House passed it 84-16.

Goodall said Thursday that his week, Bauer tried a different approach, recommending that the Alcoholic Beverage Commission regulate bingo. But on Thursday, after consulting with Bayh administration officials, he said he decided that the revenue department would be better equipped to regulate the gaming by charity groups. The measure also lowers the limits on prizes that can be offered during a day's session of bingo and takes other steps to discourage the operation of bingo games by professionals. If the bill succeeds, it could help charitable groups recover the bingo market, much of which has been lost to professional operators, the bill's sponsors said. In other action Thursday, the House considered a flurry of amendments as a midnight deadline approached for representatives to amend bills that came over from the Senate.

Today, the 25th working day of the 30-day session, will be the last day for the House to vote on Senate-passed bills. H3 (5 BIT By BRIAN FRANCISCO Star Staff Reporter INDIANAPOLIS A free-speech proposal is generating little talk in the Indiana House. Without debate, the House on Wednesday approved on second reading an amended bill to give First Amendment rights to student journalists. "I'm surprised nobody tried to take it out," Rep. Hurley goodall Goodall, D-Muncie, said Thursday.

Goodall last week offered his amendment to a Senate bill mandating immunizations for students, teachers and school employees. The House Education Committee (HI CUJ EL By DOUG RICHARDSON Associated Press Writer INDIANAPOLIS The state Department of Revenue would regulate charity gaming and enforce bingo laws under an amendment approved Thursday night by the Indiana House of Representatives. By a voice lawmakers approved the amendment by Rep. B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, for Senate Bill 450, which will be eligible for a final House vote today.

The amendment suggests the fourth different alternative considered in this year's session for bingo regulation. Earlier, the House had approved a bill to let the Indiana Lottery Commission regulate bingo. However, operators of games objected to that and amended the House bill so the secretary of state would retain jurisdiction over bingo. During a committee hearing this (0) LP The decision be made by 0Wt) 03) litlKDY THORNBURQH LEITCH No At-Large Commissioners Seek Re-Election By SETH SLABAUGH Star Staff Reporter It appears that none of Delaware County's three at-large county council members will seek reelection. Council President Robert Hartley, a Democrat, is running for 1st district county commissioner, while Democratic councilman Robert Donati reportedly plans to run for 2nd district commissioner.

On Thursday, the third at-large councilman, Republican Richard Thornburg, filed a declaration of candidacy for county surveyor. Meanwhile, former county council member Mettie Ann Leitch, a Democrat, announced Thursday that she planned to run again for one of the council at-large seats. Thornburg is a former county commissioner who was elected to council in 1988. In 1990, he ran for state senator, losing to Democratic incumbent Allie Craycraft of Selma. If he wins the primary election, Thornburg could face another Democratic incumbent in the surveyor's race.

Surveyor James Petry, an engineer, has already filed his declaration of candidacy for a third consecutive term. Thornburg, 54, rural Albany, is a farmer and a retired autoworker. Leitch, 61, a resident of rural Hamilton Township, was elected to a 2-year term as an at-large council member in 1974. She ran for re-election in 1976, but finished in a tie with Republican Clyde Edwards. Leitch completed the first 2 years of the term, and Edwards finished the last 2.

Leitch for 3 years has been office manager for the county ambulance service, a job she said she would give up if elected to council. She formerly owned and operated Leitch-Parkison insurance agency, and is a former member of the county convention and tourism commission. She said her main goal on council would be "not only to finance a new county children's home complex but to make sure it is built on time so we can get on with something else." She also said the county council's priorities should include road improvements and financial assistance to towns to help pay for drainage, sewage and water improvements. Other filings Thursday: Sherri Kramer Perry, 520 S. Shipley for the Democratic nomination for county treasurer.

Gerald Poor, 100 S. Martin, delegate to Democratic state convention. Miami Indians Call Meeting on Recognition PERU, Ind. The Miami Indian Nation will meet Sunday in Peru to discuss federal recognition of the tribe. The meeting will be at noon at tribal headquarters.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C.,' asked for the meeting. According to Raymond 0. White, tribal chairman, the bureau's Holly Reckord will answer questions and interview trial members about their involvement in tribal government and other activities. "We've been inviting the bureau to visit our people for several years, and we are glad that they are going to spend several days here," White said. "The federal factfinding team will be here 4 or 5 days reviewing tribal records, visiting projects and interviewing people before making a recommendation on whether or not to recommend reinstatement for the tribe." White said the Bureau of Indian Affairs probably would rule on the petition within a few days of the staff's visit to Peru.

He said he hoped the 2,500 Miami Indians in Indiana, Ohio and Illinois would attend the meeting to support recognition. According to Lora Siders at Miami Nation headquarters, reinstatement would mean more medical assistance and educational opportunities for tribal members. "Most importantly, we would get our heritage back," she said. The tribe has arranged transportation from several locations. For more information, call Tom Peconge in Fort Wayne at (219) to smoke, like many other personal lifestyle choices, adults.

Jim Johnston, Chairman R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company So we've developed messages to help parents. Billboards encourage discussion; "Kids shouldn't smoke -Talk to yours today." An 800 number offers free booklets to help parents address smoking and other lifestyle behavior issues with their children. And recognizing that children may be more At R.J. Reynolds we believe kids shouldn't smoke.

And we're doing something about it. In study after study, experts reveal that the influence of friends and family is the primary motivation for a young person to start smoking. That's why we sought the assistance of a panel of adolescent behavior experts and developed a youth non-smoking program that touches both parents and likely to smoke if one or more AravourwMX TOO lOO COOl? of their parents smoke, we've designed these special booklets for smoking parents. Recent studies show that effective enforcement of the laws dealing with selling We're helping parents discuss the issues uith their children. We're reaching adolescents.

With a message that dissuades them from smoking. children. It reaches out to twelve to fifteen-year-old cigarettes to minors can reduce teenage smoking by more than 50. So we're helping retailers by providing signs and stickers that make the law absolutely clear. It's also why we support to raise the minimum age to eighteen in where the age is lower, and legislation makes it more difficult for youths to cigarettes from vending machines.

We don't want kids to smoke. If you'd kids, at the age when many are struggling with peer acceptance, and tells them ha they don't need to smoke to express their individuality. We're taking this campaign to places where we can reach kids with billboards and posters in and around schools. And we're offering a range of materials free to any interested schools or groups. There's no question that parental These signs you see are not produced by local governments.

They're part of our retail program. discouraging like to get call 1 800 efforts states that obtain guidance is also a critical factor in free copies of the brochures described here, 457 7200. underage smoking. yMdr Tobacco Company CIWRJRTC.