The Times from Munster, Indiana • 15

THE TIMES Sunday, January 2a, 1989 A-15 POLITICS Free lunch alive, well in Indianapolis PETER LEVIED Dljuuvl is now offering (FOR A LIMITED TIME) Thomas INDIANAPOLIS The Indiana General Assembly will be closed Monday. But don't worry about Indiana's 150 lawmakers knowing where their next meal is coming from. Each is paid $83 a day for living expenses during the session whether they're actually in session or not. My math says that's $12,450 a day or $37,350 for the three-day weekend for doing nothing. Last week they shut down the General Assembly for five straight days at a cost of $62,250 for their out-of-town living expenses so the Republican legislatures could go to the Bush-Quayle inauguration.

The inauguration was Friday. The General Assembly was closed Thursday. Friday and Monday in order to give the handful of lawmakers who actually went sufficient travel time. The trip by plane takes about 45 minutes. Muncie during the debate on the bilL Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Not only is Goodall a Democrat, but he's also a retired firefighter. But to Matonovich's amazement, Goodall refused to take a vote on Matonovich's bill because Goodall didn't agree with the concept. Democratic Rep. Charlie Brown of Gary made Indiana legislative history this past week. Brown became the first member of the House in its 172-year history to be able to call down his own legislation on final reading.

Until this session, it was the speaker who called down bills on second and third reading. The first bill sent to the Senate would make the third Monday in January a state holiday to honor Martin Luther King's birthday. the bill, Hric used proxy votes for some of the Democratic members not at hearing over Richardson's objections. Richardson insisted he and Hric had not arranged for the use of proxy votes. Hric replied back, "Yes we do.

You run the committee the way you want when you chair it, and I run it the way I want when I chair it." v. Hammond Democratic Rep. John Matonovich is co-chairman of the House Public Safety Committee. During his first day as chairman, he called down his own legislation that would have made property owners liable for injuries to police or firemen caused by the neglect of the property owner. Matonovich decided to turn the chairmanship over to fellow Democrat Rep.

Hurley Goodall of Times staff writer Lake County lawmakers in the House are quickly discovering their co-chairmanships in committee doesn't always work in their favor. Rep. Paul Hric, D-Hammond. called down his first bill in the House Governmental Reorganization Committee that would have required government employees in Lake County to live where they work. It was Hric's day to be chairman, but he turned the chairmanship over to his Republican counterpart Rep.

Ray Richardson of Greenfield. During the vote that defeated (nil Si l. FINANCING 0M 325 MODELS. Corporations Employee Benefit Plans Estates, Trusts Wills General Practice Litigation Real Estate Largest A.B.A.-approved program in Illinois Effective employment assistance-over 700 employers have hired Roosevelt graduates Choice of time and location-day and evening classes in the Loop, Arlington Heights, Oak Brook, and Olympia Fields Spring programs begin February and March Illinois State Guaranteed Student Loans AIDS policy adopted by civil rights panel 1 INDIANAPOLIS (AP) A gay rights activist is praising an AIDS discrimination policy adopted by the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, saying victims of the disease as well as those who test positive for its virus need protection from unsympathetic employers. "We do need that kind of protection," said Stan Berg, of Indianapolis.

"Now. an employer will have to have a good reason for firing a man or a woman who tests positive." Under the policy adopted Friday, the commission will consider AIDS a "handicap," which Indiana law describes as a physical or mental condition that constitutes a substantial disability. Five cases alleging discrimination in the workplace are pending with the commission. In at least two of the cases, complainants did not have acquired immune deficiency syndrome, but employers believed otherwise. "I see this as a very dangerous infringement for employers to take," said commission Chairman David L.

Staples. "It can lead to witch hunts if innuendo, rumor and gossip are the basis for employers taking For your copy of the Lawyer's Assistant Catalogue an4 an invitation to HT the next lnrormation session in your area, wrue or can: Name Address Roosevelt University The Lawyer's Assistant Program 430 S. Michigan Avenue Chicago, tL 60605 312-341-3882 The Times Charts Business in the Region -every day Suic Zip City Phone ni i 7n nc2 SAVE 40 TO 75 WHEN YOU TAKE AN ADDITIONAL 33 OFF OUR ENTIRE CLEARANCE STOCK! Sunday, Jan. 29 through Saturday, Feb. When you see this sign with THE BLUE CHECK you'll get an additional 33 off the already reduced price! 4 Bush will keep China satisfied By BARRY SCHWEID The Associated Press WASHINGTON President Bush's trip to China next month underscores the importance of American relations in Asia.

One is the joint effort the United States and China are making to promote reconciliation between South Korea and North Korea. Another is the growing improvement in relations between China and the Soviet Union. Bush's trip will be the first visit to Beijing by a U.S. chief executive in nearly five years. President Reagan visited the Chinese capital in April 1984.

But while Bush looks to the Far East, stopping also in Japan for Emperor Hirohito's funeral, two other regions where problems are far more pressing have been consigned at least for now to the back burner. Bush and his top foreign policy advisers. Secretary of State James Baker and Brent Scowcroft. the national security adviser, are tak- ing their time about the Soviet Union and the Middle East. Baker, who is inexperienced in both areas, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during his confirmation hearing that he wanted to "review the bidding" in U.S.-Soviet negotiations to reduce long-range nuclear weapons.

Baker also said the United States should avoid "a headlong rush" to provide Moscow with loans and credits, which are traditionally a useful tool in improving relations. Scowcroft has more experience in foreign policy matters, but he i too is taking a very cautious approach in dealing with Moscow. He worries that Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev's peace offensive may have as one of its main goals "making trouble within the alliance" of Western nations. He is suspicious that Gorbachev's motivation is to buy time to reform the Soviet economy which is a lot different from approaching Gorbachev primarily as a world leader trying to ease East-West tensions. "I think the Cold War is not over." Scowcroft said in a recent assessment of the superpower relationship.

It's a bit early to make sweeping judgments, but the indications are I a slowdown in the reconciliation 'promoted by President Reagan and Secretary of State George Shultz after Gorbachev's rise to power in the Kremlin in March 1985. WW' VSilSiiWi: mm MAfflQff sryi Jit The clearance price when you see THE BLUE CHECK. si 4 Sm Georgetown HARLEM-IRVING RANDHURST SPRING HILL ARLINGTON HEIGHTS HAWTHORN HILLS CHICAGO RIDGE MALL BURBANK SHOPPING CENTER WOODRIDGE MALL STRATFORD SQUARE DOWNERS GROVE FOX VALLEY ORLAND PARK PLACE RIVER OAKS WEST GOLF MILL EthanAlkn Gallery BROADWAY RT. 53 4 RT.30 MERRILLVILLE.