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SJ0002 • 2020

General session appropriations-constitutional amendment.

A JOINT RESOLUTION to amend the Wyoming Constitution by limiting appropriations made in a general appropriations bill introduced during a general session in an odd numbered year to only emergency appropriations and by making conforming amendments.

Budget
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Senator James
Last action
2020-02-14
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2020

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how regular budget processes in even-numbered years would be affected by this amendment, if it were to pass.

Limiting General Appropriations Bills

This resolution proposes changing the Wyoming Constitution to restrict general appropriations bills introduced in odd-numbered years to only emergency spending.

What This Bill Does

  • Proposes an amendment to limit what can be included in a general appropriations bill during odd-numbered year sessions to only emergency appropriations as declared by the governor.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Wyoming Legislature, as it would change how they can introduce and pass budget-related legislation.
  • Governor of Wyoming, who must declare emergencies to allow certain funding requests in odd-numbered years.

Terms To Know

General Appropriations Bill
A bill that allocates money for the government's regular operations and services.
Emergency Appropriation
Money allocated by the government to address urgent situations declared by the governor.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The resolution did not pass, so it has no legal effect.
  • It is unclear how this change would affect regular budget processes in even-numbered years.

Bill History

  1. 2020-02-14 Senate

    S Did Not Consider for Introduction Vote

  2. 2020-02-10 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  3. 2020-02-03 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
20LSO-0127
2020
STATE OF WYOMING
20LSO-0127
Legislator Formal Draft
2.0

Senate Joint Resolution NO. SJ0002

General session appropriations-constitutional amendment.

Sponsored by: Senator(s) James, Biteman, Bouchard and Steinmetz and Representative(s) Edwards, Gray, Jennings, Laursen, Miller and Salazar

A JOINT RESOLUTION

for

A JOINT RESOLUTION to amend the Wyoming Constitution by limiting appropriations made in a general appropriations bill introduced during a general session in an odd numbered year to only emergency appropriations and by making conforming amendments.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING,
two-thirds of all the members of the two houses, voting separately, concurring therein:

Section 1.
The following proposal to amend Wyoming Constitution, Article 3, Sections 6, 7(a) and 34 is proposed for submission to the electors of the State of Wyoming at the
next general election for approval or rejection to become valid as a part of the Constitution if ratified by a majority of the electors at the election:

Article 3, Section 6. Compensation of members; duration of sessions.

The legislature shall not meet for more than sixty (60) legislative working days excluding Sundays during the term for which members of the house of representatives are elected, except when called into special session. The legislature shall determine by statute the number of days not to exceed sixty (60) legislative working days to be devoted to general and budget session, respectively. The legislature shall meet on odd-numbered years for a general
and budget
session. The legislature may meet on even-numbered years for budget session. During the budget session no bills except the budget bill may be introduced unless placed on call by a two-thirds vote of either house. The legislature shall meet for no more than forty (40) legislative working days excluding Sundays in any (1) calendar year, except when called into special session. The compensation of the members of the legislature
shall be as provided by law; but no legislature shall fix its own compensation.

Article 3, Section 7. Time and place of sessions.

(a) The legislature shall meet at the seat of government at twelve o'clock noon, on the second Tuesday of January of the odd-numbered years for general
and budget
session and may meet on the second Tuesday of January of the even-numbered years for budget session, and at other times when convened by the governor or upon call of the legislature as herein provided. The governor by proclamation may also, in times of war or grave emergency by law defined, temporarily convene the legislature at a place or places other than the seat of government. The legislature may convene a special session not to last longer than twenty (20) working days as follows:

Article 3, Section 34. General appropriation bills; other appropriations.

(a)
The general appropriation bills shall embrace nothing but appropriations for the ordinary expenses of the
legislative, executive and judicial departments of the state, interest on the public debt, and for public schools. All other appropriations shall be made by separate bills, each embracing but one subject.

(b) A general appropriations bill introduced during a general session in an odd-numbered year shall embrace nothing but appropriations for the ordinary expenses of the legislative, executive and judicial departments of the state, interest on the public debt, and for public schools, the need for which the governor has declared as necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare.

Section 2.
That the Secretary of State shall endorse the following statement on the proposed amendment:

The adoption of this amendment would limit general appropriations bills introduced by the legislature in a session during an odd-numbered year (currently referred to as a "general session") to only those appropriations for which the governor has declared an emergency need and which are
otherwise permissible to include in a general appropriations bill. The proposed amendment further amends language to label sessions occurring during an odd-numbered year as "general sessions."

(END)

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