Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1916-08-25
PROCLAMATION!
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CON-
STITUTION OF MARYLAND CREATING
A BUDGET SYSTEM


year 1915. an Act was passed, to-wit :
Chapter 1853 of said Acts. being an Act to
propose an amendment to Section So of
Article ILL., title. Legislative Department"
of the Constitution of this State; and
which said Act is in words and figures
following:
CHAPTER 1853.
An Act to propose an amendment to
Section So of Article iii, title, Legislative
Department, Of the Constitution of this
State, regulating the making of appropria-
tons by the General Assembly of Mary
land in regular session, and to provide for
the submission of said amendment to the
qualified voters of this State for adoption
or rejection.
Section l. Be it enacted by the General
Assembly Of Maryland Qhree-fifths of all
the members Of each of the two houses
concurring), That the following be and the
same is hereby proposed as an amendment
to Section So of Article iii, title Legisla-
tive Department, of the Constitution of
this State. the same, il adopted by the
legally qualified voters of the State. as
herein provided. to become Section So of
Article iii of the Constitution of Maryland.
Sec. So. The General Assembly shall not
appropriate any money out Of the Treasury
except in accordance with the following
provisions:
Subsection A:
Every appropriation bill shall be either
a Budget Bill, or Supplementary Appro-
priatiOn Bill. as hereinafter mentioned
Subsection b:
First. Within twenty days after the
converting of the General Assembly Tex
cept in the case Of a newly elected Gov
ernOr, and then within thirty days after
his inauguration), unless such time shall
be extended by the General Assembly foS
the session at which the Budget is to be
submitted. the Governor shall submit 10
the General Assembly two budgets. one fo<
each OF the ensuing fiscal years Each
budget shall contain a complete plan Of
proposed expenditures and estimated reve-
nues for the particular fiscal year to which
il relates and shall show the estimated
surplus or deficit Of revenues at the end Of
such year. Accompanying each budget
shall be statement showing U) the
revenues and expenditures for each of the
two fiscal years next preceding (2) the
current assets. liabilities. reserves and sur
plus or deficit Of the State; (3) the debts
and funds Of the State; (4) an estimate
Of the States financial condition as Of the
beginning and end OF each of the fiscal
years covered by the two budgets above
provided; (5) any explanation the Gov
ernor may desire to make as to the i'm
portant features Of any budget and any
suggestion as to methods for the reduc-
ton or increase Of the States revenue.
Second. Each budget shall be divided
into two parts. and the first part shall be
designated Governmental Appropriations
and shall embrace an itemized estimate of
the appropriations: ~ for the General As
sembly as certified to the Governor in the
manner hereinafter provided; (2) for the
Executive Department; 90 for the Judi
ciary Department, as provided by law, GER
titled to the Governor by the Comptroller
"a TO pay and discharge the principal and
interest Of the debt Of the State of Mary
land in conformity with Section "a of Ar
ticle Ill of the Constitution, and all laws
enacted in pursuance thereof; (5) for the
salaries payable by the State under the
Constitution and laws Of the State: (6)
for the establishment and maintenance
throughout the State of thorough and
efficient system Of public schools in con-
formity with Article VIII of the Constitu-
ton and with the laws of the State; (7)
for such other purposes as set forth in the
Constitution of the State.
Third. The second part shall be desie.
mated General Appropriations" and shall
include all other estimates of appropria-
tons.
The Governor shall deliver TO the presid
ing officer Of each house the budgets and
a bill for all the proposed appropriations OF
the budgets clearly itemized and classified
and the presiding officer of each house
shall promptly cause said bill to be intro
duced therein, and such bill shall be known
as the Budget Bill" The Governor NAV
before final action thereon by the Genera
Assembly amend or supplement either Of
said budgets to correct an oversight or In
case of an emergency. with the consent Of
the General Assembly by delivering sucf
an amendment or supplement to the pre-
siding officers Of both houses; and suci
amendment or supplement shall there
by become part Of said budget bill as al
addition to the items of said bill or as {
modification Of or a substitute for an,
item Of said bill such amendment or sup.
plement may affect
The General Assembly shall not amend
the budget bill so as to affect either tn,
obligations Of the State under Section -
of Article Ill of the Constitution, or the pro
visions made by the laws Of the State TO
the establishment and maintenance of I
system of public schools. or the paymen
OF any salaries required to be paid by the
State of Maryland by the Constitution
thereof; and the General Assembly ma,
amend the bill by increasing or diminish
ing the items therein relating to the Gen
eral Assembly, and by increasing the item!
therein relating TO the judiciary, but excep
as hereinbefore specified. may not alte
the said bill except to strike out or reduc,
items therein, provided. however, that tn,
salary or compensation Of any publ,
officer shall not be decreased during hi
term Of office; and such bill when and a,
passed by both houses shall be a law i'm
mediately without further action by tn,
Governor.
Fourth. The Governor and such repre-
sentatives of the executive departments
boards. officers and commissions of tn,
State expendine or applying for State !,
money. as have been designated by tn,
Governor for this purpose. shall have tn,
right. and when requested by either hous,
OF the Legislature. it shall be their duty tC
appear and be heard with respect to an,
budget bill during the consideration there
OF. and to answer inquiries relative thereto
Subsection C: Supplementary Appropria
ton Bills:
Neither house shall consider other an
preparations until the Budget Bill has beer
finally acted upon by both houses, and nc
such other appropriations shall be valid ex.
cept in accordance with the provisions fol
lowing; % Every such appropriation shal
be embodied in separate bill limited &c
some single work, object or purpose therein
stated and called herein a Supplementary
Appropriation Bill (a) Each Supplement
tary Appropriation Bill shall provide the
revenue necessary to pay the appropriation
thereby made by a tax, direct or indirect. &c
be laid and collected as shall be directed in
said Bill; go No Supplementary appro.
priation Bill shall become law unless il be
passed in each house by vote of a major
ity of the whole number of the members
elected; and the yeas and nays recorded
on its final passage; ca Each Supple
mentary Appropriation Bill shall be pre-
sented to the Governor Of the State as pro-
| yidad in Sacfinn II nf A.tsolo N