Assigned to GOV                                                                                                         AS PASSED BY THE SENATE

 

 

 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Phoenix, Arizona

 

REVISED

FACT SHEET FOR S.C.R. 1010

 

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 sign or 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 10 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 20 days, not including Sunday, for the Governor to sign or veto a bill after the Legislature has adjourned.

 

3.      Allows the legislature to override a veto by the Governor within the first four days of the next regular or special session meeting of the legislature after the veto, if the Governors veto is issued after the final adjournment of the legislature.

 

4.      Directs the Secretary of State to submit this proposition to the voters at the next general election.

 

Amendments Adopted by Committee

 

1.      Reduces the time limit, from 15 days to 10 days, for the Governor to sign or veto a bill while the Legislature is in session.

 

2.      Reduces the time limit, from 30 days to 20 days, for the Governor to sign or veto a bill after the Legislature has adjourned.

 

Amendments Adopted in Committee of the Whole

 

·        Allows the legislature to override a veto by the Governor within the first four days of the next regular or special session meeting of the legislature after the veto, if the Governors veto is issued after the final adjournment of the legislature.

 

 

Senate Action

 

GOV          2/11/02     DPA     5-0-1-0

3rd Read     3/18/02     DPA     25-3-2

 

 

Prepared by Senate Staff

March 19, 2002