ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
veto; time limitations.
Purpose
Extends the time limits in
which the Governor may sign or veto a bill while the Legislature is in session
and after the Legislature has adjourned.
This measure is subject to voter approval at the next general election.
Background
The Arizona Constitution was
written in 1910 and became effective in 1912 when Arizona was admitted as the
48th state. Consisting of
roughly 28,000 words, the Constitution has been amended 125 times. The amendment process allows constitutional
provisions to be added, removed or altered through a two-step process. First, the amendment must be formally
proposed. There are three methods to
complete this step: 1) the voters can propose amendments using the
constitutional initiative process; 2) the Legislature can propose amendments
using the constitutional referendum process; or 3) a constitutional convention
can be called to propose amendments. A
constitutional convention has never been used in Arizona. The second step of the process is
ratification. Regardless of how the amendment is originally proposed, it must
be approved by a majority vote of the people.
Currently, the Arizona
Constitution allows the Governor to veto a bill within five days of receiving
it while the Legislature is in session and within ten days after the
Legislature has adjourned. Within the
50 states there is a wide variance of allotted time for a Governor to use veto
power. Iowa, Minnesota, New Mexico and
North Dakota allow the governor three days to veto a bill while the Legislature
is in session while Illinois allows for up to 60 days. After the legislature has adjourned,
Nebraska, New Hampshire and Vermont allow the governor five days to veto a bill
while Maine allows the governor to veto up to three days after the Legislature
has reconvened.
S.C.R. 1010 extends the time
limits in which the Governor may sign or veto a bill while the Legislature is
in session and after the Legislature has adjourned.
There is no fiscal impact to
the state general fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Extends the time limit, from 5 days to 15 days, not including Sunday, for the Governor to sign or veto a bill while the Legislature is in session.
2. Extends the time limit, from 10 days to 30 days, not including Sunday, for the Governor to sign or veto a bill after the Legislature has adjourned.
3. Directs the Secretary of State to submit this proposition to the voters at the next general election.
Prepared by Senate Staff
January 31, 2002