view raw text
Mich. Senate Passes Bill To Prevent Charity Sport Aimed at Barring Projected Sale Of MRA Course to Boys, Inc. LANSING, Mich., May 7.— A bill to prevent charity horse racing in Michigan passed the State Senate by a 26-2 vote Thursday. Introduced by Senator Arthur Dehmiel R., Unionville, it is aimed at barring the projected sale of interest of the Michigan Racing Association in the Livonia track to Boys, Inc., a non-profit foundation which planned to use track profits for local charitable purposes. The bill, which now goes to the House, could become effective as soon as it is signed by Gov. Williams. It is expected to be put to a House vote early next week. Supported by the Michigan Council of Churches, the bill actually is a compromise measure with an earlier proposal, rejected Wednesday, to outlaw all horse racing in Michigan. The two dissenting votes in the Senate were cast by Charles Blondy D., Detroit and Edward H. Gibbs D., Perkins. In formal language, the Senate approved a proposal which would "refuse a license to any organization organized for a charitable purpose or organized for the purpose of distributing its profits to charitable organizations." It is a direct move to squash plans by the multimillion dollar MRA to sell the suburban Detroit racing plant to Boys, Inc., a non-profit group set up by Clint Murchison and Sid Richardson, Texas oilmen and financiers. If passed by the House next week and signed by the Governor, it would not necessarily prevent the MRAs sale to the Texans. But it would strip any charitable aspects from the tracks future operations. George Haggarty, MRA vice-president, said that his organization expected to appear before the House and be given an opportunity to explain their side of the case before the vote is taken. 191 » si * : t i
