Opinion ID: 1412435
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Contents of the Long Bill

Text: The district court also held that some of the vetoed portions of the Long Bill were in contravention of Colo.Const. Art. V, Sec. 32. This section provides: The general appropriation bill shall embrace nothing but appropriations for the expense of the executive, legislative and judicial departments of the state, state institutions, interest on the public debt and for public schools. All other appropriations shall be made by separate bills, each embracing but one subject. This section has been interpreted to mean that, in the general appropriation bill, the general assembly may not include substantive legislation, nor may it amend or repeal a law. Burciaga v. Shea, 187 Colo. 78, 530 P.2d 508; People ex rel. Clement v. Spruance, 8 Colo. 307, 6 P. 831. See also Carr v. Frohmiller, 47 Ariz. 430, 56 P.2d 644; State ex rel. Hoeller v. Thompson, 316 Mo. 272, 289 S.W. 338; State ex rel. Prater v. State Board of Finance, 59 N.M. 121, 279 P.2d 1042. The sole purpose of the Long Bill is to meet charges already created against the public funds by affirmative acts of the general assembly. In Re House Bill No. 168, 21 Colo. 46, 39 P. 1096. Thus, the Long Bill may only be used to provide funds for programs that have been separately authorized and specifically detailed in other bills. With these general constitutional principles in mind, we now discuss the specific conditions in the Long Bill which were vetoed by the Governor.