SJR 16

Explanation of Proposal

This proposed constitutional amendment, to be given second consideration by

the 2011 legislature for submittal to the voters in April 2011, was first considered by

the

2009

legislature in 2009 Senate Joint Resolution

11

, which became

2009

Enrolled Joint Resolution

27

.

The proposed constitutional amendment provides that, in approving an

appropriation in part, the chief executive of a county may not create a new word by

rejecting individual letters in the words of the resolution or ordinance and may not

create a new sentence by combining parts of two or more sentences of the resolution

or ordinance. Currently, in exercising the partial veto power, the chief executive of

a county may approve appropriations contained in resolutions or ordinances in whole

or part without restriction.

Procedure for second ConsideratioN

When a proposed constitutional amendment is before the legislature on second

consideration, any change in the text approved by the preceding legislature causes

the proposed constitutional amendment to revert to first consideration status so that

second consideration approval would have to be given by the next legislature before

the proposal may be submitted to the people for ratification [see joint rule 57 (2)].

If the legislature approves a proposed constitutional amendment on second

consideration, it must also set the date for submitting the proposed constitutional

amendment to the people for ratification and must determine the question or

questions to appear on the ballot.