Kingsport Times-News from Kingsport, Tennessee • 13

Wednesday May 24 1989 Kingsport Times-News 3B Senate approves legislation t6 help indigent in court mi jmm The way to go when you need to know Call 246-8121 for home delivery By ALAN WESTON Nashville Bureau "HI JOHN NO AT MOTHER'S REMEMBER I MY0U WE WERE GETTING cm Eommmr NASHVILLE The Tennessee Senate Tuesday approved legislation designed to serve the indigent in court with a system of public defenders The bill passed overwhelmingly 29-1 Sen Don Arnold R-Johnson City a sponsor of the legislation and Sen Ruth Montgomery Kingsport voted for the bill Sen Ronnie Greer R-Greeneville voted Greer like Arnold an attorney has consistently voiced doubts about the need for the bill Under the bill public defenders would initially be appointed but eventually the positions would befilled through popular vote in elections The Senate also approved a bill that would provide funds for the public defender program by increasing the litigation privilege tax by $6 The legislation establishing a public defender system is also moving forward in the House and was approved by the House Finance Committee Tuesday The resolution naming the highway for Quillen had trouble getting passed in the House until Monday Rep Zane Whitson Jr R-Unicoi had expressed reservations about naming the highway for Quillen Northeast congressman since 1962 But Whitson who was taking some criticism for his position changed his attitude and that paved the way for the approval by the House Monday The Senate voted 31-0 in favor of a bill that would require testing of kerosene and motor fuels The bill sets penalties for people or companies who sell fuel that does not meet standards All area senators voted for the bill The fuel testing bill is a product of a legislative study committee that included Reps Bob Good R-Johnson City and Ruth Robinson R-Jonesborough By a 28-1 vote the Senate approved a bill sponsored by Arnold that permits industrial development boards to operate federal Job Training Partnership Act programs The House already passed the bill sponsored in the House by Rep Ken Givens D-Rogersville Gov Ned McWherter signed a bill that establishes a central intake and assessment system for troubled juveniles The legislation for the Assessment Intake and Management System was created with plans for two pilot programs including one in Kingsport- McWherter also signed a bill designed to meet the special education needs of the handicapped at an earlier age Rep Ralph Yelton D-Kingsport a sponsor of the bill attended the bill-signing ceremony held in the office In other legislative action Tuesday: The Senate voted for the House resolution naming Interstate 181 the James Quillen Parkway The Senate previously approved one identical to the House resolution but for procedural reasons both legislative bodies needed to adopt the House resolution ftep Bob Good R-Johnson City said: very pleased we were able to accomplish (passage of the resolution) I regret any misunderstandings that developed during the effort I would hope that none of what we had to go through created any Call Forwarding it ends waiting at home for a call You go anywhere in or out-of-town and never miss a call Punch in a two-digit code then dial die number you want your calls forwarded to And calls to your home will automatically ring at the new number Ite Wjted simple and easy Call Forwarding from United Telephone It frees Cb-J System you from sitting by the phone Tb order Call Forwarding callyour local United Telephone business office Bays Mountain Park sign legislation revived in House A United Telecom Company WHY WAIT FOR A SALE? OUR PRICES ARE LOW EVERY DAY! Nashville Bulreau Mohawk 9 AU68H COMPANY DIMENSION IV P15580R13 45000-mile warranty Crisscross tread design NASHVILLE Legislation directing the Department of Transportation to erect directional signs for Bays Mountain Park on nearby interstate highways apparently dead in the House was revived Tuesday Rep Ralph Yelton D-Kingsport had held all interstate sign bills in a transportation subcommittee he chairs because of concerns the signs would not conform with federal standards and would cost Tennessee federal funds had a lot of people who were awful about the failure of the sign bills said Yelton The interstate sign bills had sailed through the Senate and felt it was unfair to hold thanuip in the said Yelton -Amendments to the bills will prevent the possibility-the-signs will cost Tennessee federal approve (the proposed interstate signs) but the legislators felt like they needed to pass the legislation and let the federal government use that Robinson said the sign bills will pass the General Assembly in final form with the amendments stipulating federal approval is required or the bills will not pass With this legislative session drawing to an end the Transportation Committee had closed down but Robinson called a special meeting to take up 15 sign bills and resolutions A locally sponsored bill calling for signs to indicate the location of the historic covered bridge in Elizabethton was among the bills approved at the special meeting The committee also had on its Tuesday agenda the resolution naming Interstate 181 the James Quillen Parkway but the House suspended its and passed the- resolution Monday making action by the committee unnecessary Joe Taft senior naturalist at Bays Mountain said he hopes the federal government will not disapprove of the signs He said finding the park has been a considerable problem for people unfamiliar with it feel a facility such as ours primarily educational should be able to have the signs so school groups can find said Taft Mohawk RUBBER COMPANY CUSTOM AS -35000-mile warranty Sure all-surface traction TRUCK RADIAL DURANGO AS 40000-mile warranty Ail-season tread design PERFORMANCE SR1000GT 45000-mile warranty Speed rated to 112 mph funds Yelton said The amendments state the sign bills become operative only if the Federal Highway Administrator advises the Commissioner of Transportation in writing that the provisions of (the legislation) shall not render Tennessee in violation ofiederal laws and rr: Rep -Robb Robinson D-Nashville chairman of the House Transportation Committee said: feeling is (the federal government) will not Petition seeks recall election for Ha coun tyexecu ti ve Limited Treod Weorout Worronfy-Oetolls Store Mounting Included No Trade-in Required Rood Hazard Warranty Waitable-Details in Store Tirei And Services Available Only Stores Wlh Service Open 8AM-6PM Closed Sunday By MIKE DYE Hawkins County Bureau TMONROtT Installation Available The last Muffler You Will Buy For Your Car- 5997 1597 2497 missioners took office When questioned by a Times-News reporter about the legality of the recall petition Hawkins County Election Commission Registrar Peggy Herndon contacted the County Technical Advisory Service Herndon was informed by Ronald Fults a legal specialist for the advisory service that state law has no provision for recall of an elected official unless convicted of a felony A type-written note Moore received from his anonymous caller states: will take around 600 signatures by the citizens of Hawkins County for a recall election to take place This needs to be pushed Mr Price promised the citizens of Church Hill and Mount Carmel if elected he would eliminate the wheel tax and was against the increasing of property taxes We currently- have- the- highest- sates tax rate in the state and the fourth highest property tax rate you for your the unsigned note concludes never made that promise because I know I do Price said promise to 'lower taxes because this office have that Moore accuses the commission of ignoring the wishes of the people by refusing to take action on the April petition Price said he feels Gary and Leonard Moore are sincere in their effort to fight the wheel tax but they are being manipulated by the anonymous caller Most Omni Horizon Carryout Ea Super Struts GMXA Body Cars Ea 2997 MustargHlrd Cars Ea 3497 Gas struts $20 more per pair Addfflond ports services extra Fronts only An opponent of Hawkins wheel tax has started a petition for a recall Election for County Executive Doug Price although state law does not allow a recall the officeholder is convicted of a felony Price noted Tuesday that a county executive has 'no control over taxes and he speculated the petition is the latest effort in a by anonymous letter writers over the past four years The petition is being pushed by Church Hill resident Gary Moore who helped his brother Leonard collect some 14000 signatures against the wheel tax earlier this year The 14000 signatures were preserifecT to the County Commission in April but the commission voted 19-1 to table a resolution to put the tax on the ballot for a public referendum Moore said he was contacted recently by an anonymous caller who advised it do more good for my to start a petitiqn to re- When informed that up to the 21 commissioners to raise or lower taxes Moore said: you want to do anything you might as well start at the Moore said petitions majr be started later to recall commissioners who support the wheel tax The wheel tax was levied in 1985 before Price and most of the current county com Sale Price Installed Arrestor muffler many cars It trucks Arrestor Plus Installed 1897 Additional ports services extra Single unit (welded system) excluded Details In store 2-wheel disc or drum brake spedaffor many UTS cats Imports and light ttucks extra Monal parts services extra Semimelaite pads extra UmRed wananty-Oetoli store mssmum MfcM GNMENTiFORiMANYiCARS Additional partiNenfle lt fa Hospital tax bill sent to governor EXIDEi Batteries $3 less with exchange Associated Press 1388 Sale Price Major brand oillubeniter for many cats and It trucks Additional parts services extra OO Everyday VW raWff Low Price Fuel injector cleaning helps improve mileage and performance for many fuel systems AdcMonal parti seMoesextiaOetals store Everyday Low Battery Prices Motorvator 45 420 3277 Motorvator 65 530 4077 Centura 650 650 CC As 5277 Centura S50 850 CCAs 5277 Sizes tor mony US Import cars and It trucks On Sale Mon May 22 Thru Sat May 27 he said the consensus of the people of Tennessee that we should take care of the people that take care of themselves it ought to be he said The Health Department would determine the size of fees charged to each hospital based bn the amount of free care they provide to the poor either through charity or unpaid bills The annual fee exceed 12 percent of the total charges for bad debt indigent and charity care The money would be placed in an Indigent Health Care Risk Fund and doled out by the Finance Department Hospitals have supported the bill in hopes of avoiding a gross receipts tax NASHVILLE Tennessee hospitals would pay about $45 million in annual license fees to raise money for those too poor to pay their bills under legislation sent to the governor Tuesday The administration bill was approved 25-2 in the Senate after Sen Ray Albright R-Chattanoo-ga criticized it as a poor answer to the health care problems Albright said he supported the bill as a shortterm way to bail out floundering hospitals that care for large numbers of poor people But the state must find a better solution he said taxing sick people in hospitals because we have the courage to do what we should YOUR KINGSPORT K-MART STORE.