Court Opinion

ID: 9536185
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 06:56:03.890729+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:33:28.768760
License: Public Domain

DOOLIN, Justice,
dissenting:
The majority’s analysis of the governor’s attempted veto, and his power and lack of power in respect to it, is strikingly accurate under Art. 6, §§ 11 and 12, and decisions interpreting these two sections. But I cannot join in creating the strained approach of the majority in its Herculean attempt to validate the appropriations contained in HB 1567. I therefore dissent.
There is no doubt a chief executive may partially disapprove a general appropriation bill under § 12. This “line item” veto power however, is limited to general appropriation bills and applies neither to special appropriation bills nor general legislation. HB 1567 can scarcely be denominated a general appropriation bill as defined by Art. V, § 56 and cannot be categorically placed under either this section or § 12. The majority’s innovative endeavor to bisect HB 1567 and apply § 12 to the appropriations and § 11 to the balance treats as two bills that which was born as one. I do not believe this type manipulation of legislation is either proper or wise.
The majority’s structured anomaly is in direct conflict with Art. V, §§ 56, 57 of our constitution. Section 56 provides:
*558“The general appropriation bill shall embrace nothing but appropriations for the expenses of the executive, legislative, and judicial departments of the State, and for interest on the public debt. The salary of no officer or employee of the State, or any subdivision thereof, shall be increased in such bill, nor shall any appropriation be made therein for any such officer or employee, unless his employment and the amount of his salary, shall have been already provided for by law. AH other appropriations shall be made by separate bills, each embracing but one subject." (Emphasis supplied).
Section 57 further provides:
“Every act of the Legislature shall embrace but one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title, except general appropriation bills, general revenue bills . .
This court should not create confusion by making two bills out of HB 1567, then ignore constitutional sections which appear to invalidate its construction. The majority holds at least a portion of the bill has become law. Thus its constitutionality is an issue. HB 1567 either covers two subjects or it does not. If it encompasses two it violates §§ 56, 57; if it encompasses only one, § 11, not § 12 must be applied.
In Regents of State University v. Trapp, 28 Okl. 88, 113 P. 910 (1911) this court said a governor’s power of partial disapproval under § 12 is limited to general appropriations bills. HB 1567 is not a general appropriations bill. Under Trapp, § 12 should not be applied to any portion of HB 1567.
Under § 11 if the governor does not approve a bill in toto within fifteen days after adjournment it does not become law. He did not do so. His qualified approval is tantamount to a pocket veto and thus HB 1567 did not become law. This construction is admitted by the majority. But because of the extreme result of such holding, the contrived solution of the majority will be the law.
The majority further seeks to soften the effect of its decision by postponing the effective date until after the Legislature convenes. This same “postponement” if valid,1 could be used if the entire bill was invalidated because of improper use of the veto.
I am authorized to state that SIMMS, J. and WILSON, Special Justice, concur in the views expressed herein.
ORDER
It is hereby ordered that the date of February 1, 1979, specified in the opinion promulgated and filed in this cause on December 15, 1978, as the effective date of such opinion, be and the same is postponed until the further order of this Court.

.This action could be dangerous precedent. Might this court postpone an effective date until 1980, or 1984 or even 2000?