Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-10-24
Constitutional Amendment.
STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA.

hereby proclaim, announcing to the
voters of the State of West Virginia,
that on the Tuesday next after the first
Monday in November, in the year One
Thousand Nine Hundred and Eighteen,
there will be submitted for ratification
or rejection an amendment to the Con-
stitution of said State as follows, to-
wit:
Proposed Amendment
That Article Six Of said Constitution
as it now is be amended by adding
thereto sect IN fifty one, which pro-
posed amendment S as follows,
Section fifty one. The legislature
shall not appropriate any money OUT OF
the treasury except in accordance WIFI
the following provisions:
Subsection A.
Every appropriation bill shall be
either a budget bill, or supplementary
appropriation bill, as hereinafter Hell
toned.
Subsection b.
First: Within ten days after the con-
yening of the legislature, unless sucn
time Shall be extended by the legis-
lature for the session at wnlcn inc
budget is to be submitted, the ooaro VI
public works, which shall consist OF
me governor, secretary of state, auoltor,
treasurer, attorney general. suPerin-
tendent of free schools and commis-
sioner of agriculture shall submit
10 the legislature, two budgets, one for
each of the ensuing fiscal years. Eacn
budget shall contain complete plan OF
proposed expenditures and eStlmateo
revenues for the particular nscal year
10 which il relates; and shall show the
estimated surplus or deficit OF revenues
al the end of such year. Accompany
ing each budget shall be statement
showing: Cd the revenues ana ex
penditures for each of the two nscal
wears next preceding; ~ the current
assets, liabilities, reserves and surplus
or deficit of the state; 81 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
wears covered by the two budgets above
provided; 81 any explanation the BOARD
OF public works may desire to make
as to the important features OF any
budget and any suggestions as TO
methods for the reduction or increase
OF the states revenue.
Second: Each budget shall be divided
into two parts, and the first part shall
be designated Governmental Appro-
priationS" and shall embrace an Item
.zed estimate of the appropriations;
iJ for the legislature as certified to
tue board of public works in the man
ncr hereinafter provided; ~ for the
c.acutive department; ~ for the Ju-
dietary department., as provided by law,
certified to the governor by the auditor;
a. to pay and discharge the principal
al interest of any debt OF the state
Q. West Virginia hereafter created IN
conformity with the constitution, and
al. laws enacted in pursuance thereon;
(oj for the salaries payable by the state
under the constitution and laws OF the
state; (6) for the aid Of public schools
in conformity with the laws OF the state;
~ for such other purposes as are set
forth in the constitution and laws made |
in pursuance thereof.
Third: The second part shall be
designated General Appropriations,
and shall include all other estimates OF
appropriations.
The board of public works shall de- |
liver to the presiding officer OF each
house the budgets and bill for all the |
proposed appropriation OF the budgets |
clearly itemized and classified; and the |
presiding officer Of each house shall |
promptly cause said bill to be in |
PRODUCED therein, and such bill shall be |
known as the Budget Bill" The |
board Of public works, may before |
final action thereon by the legislature, |
amend or supplement either Of said |
budgets to correct an oversight or IN |
case Of an emergency, with the consent |
OF the legislature by delivering such
an amendment or supplement to the |
presiding officers Of both houses; and
such amendment or supplement shall
thereby become a part of said budget |
DILL as an addition to the items OF said |
DILL or as a modification Of or a sub
Stitute for any item of said bill such
amendment or supplement may affect.
The legislature shall not amend the
budget bill so as to create deficit but
may amend the bill by increasing or
diminishing the items therein relating
to the legislature, and by increasing
the items therein relating to t., judi
ciary, but except as hereinbefore speci-
fed, may not alter the said bill except
to strike out or reduce items therein;
provided however, that the salary or
compensation OF any public officer shall
not be increased or diminished during |
his term Of Office; and such bill when
and as passed by both houses shall be
law Immediately without further action
by the governor.
Fourth: The governor and such re-
representatives. OF the boards, officers
and commissions of the state expend-
ing or applying for states money as
lave been designated by the board of
public works for this purpose, shall
have the right, and when requested by
either house of the legislature it shall
be their duty to appear and be heard
with respect to any budget bill during
the consideration thereof, and to answer
inquiries relative thereto.
Subsection C.-Supplementary APP
preparation Bills.
Neither house shall consider other
appropriations until the budget bill
has been finally acted upon by both
houses, and no such other appropria-
itions shall We valid except in accordance
with the provisions following:
Cd Every such appropriation shall
be embodied in separate bill limited
to some single work, object or purpose
therein stated and called herein q sup
Elementary appropriation bill; (2)
Each supplementary appropriation bill
shall provide the revenue necessary to
pay the appropriation thereby made by
tax, direct or indirect, to be laid and
collected as shall be directed in said
bill unless it appears from such budget
that there is sufficient revenue avail
able; 81 no supplementary appropria-
ton bill shall become law unless it be
passed in each house by a vote Of a
majority of the members present, and
the yeas and nays recorded on its final
passage. Each supplementary ap-
preparation bill shall be presented to