The Key West Citizen

Legislature Highlights

TALLAHASSEE (AP)--The Legislature today unanimously passed a bill appropriating $550,000 for purchase and distribution of Salk polio vaccine for needy children and expectant mothers.

The House first passed the measure and minutes later the Senate did the same.

The Senate bill was introduced by Sen. Barber of Vero Beach. The other 37 senators endorsed it and a resolution thanking Dr. Jonas Salk for the discovery.

State Health Officer Wilson T. Sowder has estimated there are 154,000 medically indigent children under 18. He figures it will cost $2.40 a child to administer the required three shots.

A major new bill introduced today by Sen. Tapper of Port St. Joe is designed to abolish the Board of Control and set up a chancellor for the university system, under direction of the Cabinet Board of Education.

An indication that Gov. Collins intends to push vigorously toward adoption of his plan to rewrite the Constitution was the arrival of Wallace Sturgis of Ocala, former president of the Senate. Sturgis will plug for Collins' proposal for a statutory commission to revise the Constitution and submit the draft to the Legislature.

The Board of Control opposed at a meeting of the House Higher Education Committee a bill to prohibit state universities from increasing student fees during a school year.

A spokesman for veterans organizations protested at another committee hearing a bill to set up a state boxing commission.

The Florida-Florida State football game hassle stayed in the news. Sen. Stratton of Callahan, one of the early advocates of getting the two colleges to meet on the football gridiron, said Florida Coach Bob Woodruff reported he is willing to negotiate further with FSU.

Among bills introduced was one to provide stiff prison sentences and fines for persons attempting to bribe public officials or employees. Another would establish a central collection group to recover money owed any state agency.

Others would:
Provide for licensing road contractors. It would set up a three-man licensing board appointed by the governor.

An applicant for a $150 contracting license would have to prove he is 'morally fit and possesses net current assets or working capital sufficient' to do the job.

Repeal the law under which municipalities had to reduce their ad valorem taxes when they began receiving state cigarette taxes collected within their boundaries.

Regulate the sport of spear fishing. It would forbid such fishing at night and outlaw sale of fish taken with spears.

The Senate Insurance Committee approved the proposal to take up auto tags and driving permits in cases where a person held liable in a motor accident has not settled damage claims.

The bill, which goes to the Senate's Judiciary Civil Committee, also would raise limits of proof of financial responsibility for drivers in wrecks.