RS 10 - Vetoed bills; return by the governor; veto session
A. A bill, except a joint resolution, shall become law if the governor signs it or if he fails to sign or veto it within ten days after delivery to him if the legislature is in session, or within twenty days if the legislature is adjourned.
B. If the governor does not approve a bill, he may veto it. When he vetoes a bill, he shall return it to the legislature, with his veto message stating his reasons for the veto, within twelve days after delivery to him if the legislature is in session.
C. Not later than twelve o'clock midnight of the twenty-third calendar day after the sine die adjournment of each session of the legislature, the governor shall transmit to the secretary of the Senate and the clerk of the House a statement of all vetoed bills, which have not previously been returned to the legislature in session and shall at the same time return each such vetoed bill to the chief clerical officer of the house of origin. Such statement shall contain the bill number and title of each such vetoed bill and the veto message for each stating the reasons for the veto of the particular bill. No later than midnight of the second day after receipt of such statement the secretary of the senate and the clerk of the house shall transmit by certified or registered mail, or by any other receipted written means, to each member of their respective houses a copy of the governor's statement and a form for declaration by the member that a veto session for reconsideration of the listed vetoed bills is not necessary. The form for such declaration shall contain a statement that the undersigned member finds that a veto session to reconsider the bills listed in the governor's statement is not necessary and shall also provide a designated place for the signature of the member responding.
D. Upon receipt of the copy of the governor's statement and the declaration form, each legislator who finds that a veto session to reconsider the bills listed in the governor's statement is not necessary shall sign the form for such declaration and shall immediately return such signed form to the presiding officer of the house of which he is a member. Each presiding officer shall note the date and hour of receipt of each signed form he receives and shall tabulate the number of members who have by return of such signed form declared that a veto session is not necessary. Any other written declaration by a member that such a session is not necessary which is received by one of the presiding officers, shall be treated in the same manner as those received on the form provided and shall be included in such tabulation. No declaration received after twelve o'clock midnight of the thirty-fifth calendar day after sine die adjournment of the legislature shall be counted and declarations received after that time shall be null and void.
E. The presiding officers shall jointly transmit to each member of the legislature the results of the tabulation of the declarations returned by the members of the respective houses together with an announcement that the veto session is or is not to be held and the date and time such session shall convene if it is to be held. No veto session shall be held if a majority of the elected members of either house have declared in writing that a veto session is unnecessary.
F. Unless a majority of the elected members of either house has declared in writing that a veto session is unnecessary, the legislature shall meet in veto session in the state capital at noon on the fortieth day following final adjournment of the most recent session, to consider all bills vetoed by the governor. If the fortieth day falls on Sunday, the session shall convene at noon on the succeeding Monday. No veto session shall exceed five calendar days, and any veto session may be finally adjourned prior to the end of the fifth day upon the vote of two-thirds of the elected members of each house.
G. A law enacted with the approval of a vetoed bill by two-thirds of the elected members of each house during a veto session shall take effect on the sixtieth day after final adjournment of the session in which it was originally finally passed by both houses, unless such Act contains a different effective date. If the Act contains a different effective date, it shall become effective on said date, unless the date is prior to the time of approval by both houses during a veto session by the required vote, in which case it shall become effective upon such approval.
Added by Acts 1975, 1st Ex.Sess., No. 23, §1, eff. Jan. 28, 1975.