SJR 109

This proposed constitutional amendment, proposed to the 2023 legislature on

first consideration, amends the Wisconsin Constitution to restrict the governor, in

exercising his or her partial veto power over an appropriation bill, from creating or

increasing or authorizing the creation or increase of any tax or fee.

Currently, in exercising the partial veto power, the governor is limited only in

that he or she may not create a new word by rejecting individual letters in the words

of the enrolled bill and may not create a new sentence by combining parts of two or

more sentences of the enrolled bill. In

Bartlett v. Ever

s, 2020 WI 68, the Wisconsin

Supreme Court further restricted the governor's partial veto power, but there was

no agreement by the court on the reasons for the new restrictions. The new

restriction on the governor's partial veto power contained in the amendment is in

addition to the current restrictions in the constitution.

A proposed constitutional amendment requires adoption by two successive

legislatures, and ratification by the people, before it can become effective.