Chap. 317.—Joint resolution proposing amendment to section 50 of article
4+ of the Constitution of Virginia, and providing for publishing said amend-
ment, and certifying the same to the next general assembly.

Approved Mareh 14, 1908.

1. Resolved by the house of delegates, the Senate concurring (a ma-
jority of the members elected to each house agreeing thereto), That the
following amendment to the Constitution of Virginia be, and the same
is hereby, proposed and referred to the general assembly to be chosen
at the next general election of members of the house of delegates for its
concurrence, in conformity with the provisions of section fifty of article
four of said Constitution, namely :

Strike out from the Constitution of Virginia, section fifty, article
four, which is in the following words:

§50. No law shall be enacted except by bill. A bill may originate
in either house, to be approved or rejected by the other, or may be
amended by either, with the concurrence of the other.

No bill shall become a law unless prior to its passage it has been—

(a) Referred to a committee of each house, considered by such com-
mittee in session, and reported ;

(b) Printed by the house in which it originated, prior to its passage
therein ;

(c) Read at length on thee different calendar days in each house;
and unless,

(d) A yea and nay vote has been taken in each house upon its final
passage, the names of the members voting for and against entered on the
journal, and a majority of those voting, which shall include at least
two-fifths of the members elected to each house, recorded in the affirma-
tive.

And only in the manner required in sub-divison (d) of this section
shall an amendment to a bill by one house be concurred in by the other,
or a conference report be adopted by either house, or either house dis-
charge a committee from the consideration of a bill and consider the
same as if reported: provided, that the printing and reading, or either,
required in sub-divisions (b) and (c) of this section, may be dispensed
with in a bill to codify the laws of the State, and in any case of emergency
by a vote of four-fifths of the members voting in each house taken by the
yeas and nays, the names of the members voting for and against,
entered on the journal: provided further, that no bill which creates
or established a new office, or which creates, continues or revives a
debt or charge or makes, continues or revives any appropriation of
public or trust money or property, or releases, or discharges, or com-
mutes any claim or demand of the State, or which imposes, continues or
revives a tax, shall be passed except by the affirmative vote of the ma-
jerity of all the members elected to each house, the vote to be by the
yeas and nays, and the names of the members voting for and against,
entered on the journal. Every law imposing, continuing or reviving a
tax shall specifically state such tax, and no law shall be construed as so
stating such tax, which requires a reference to any other law or any
other tax. The presiding officer of each house shall, in the presence of
the house over which he presides, sign every bill which has been passed
by both houses and duly enrolled. Immediately before this is done, all
other business being suspended, the title of the bill shall be publicly
read. The fact of the signing shall be entered on the journal.

And insert in lieu thereof the following:

§50. No law shall be enacted except by bill. A bill may originate in
either house to be approved or rejected by the other, or may be amended
by either, with the concurrence of the other.

No bill shall become a law unless prior to its passage it has been—

(a) Referred to a committee of each house, considered by such com-
mittee in session, and reported ;

(b) Printed by the house in which it originated prior to its passage
therein ;

(c) Read by title on three different calendar days in each house and
read at length at least once in each house; and unless

(d) A yea and nay vote has been taken in each house upon its final
passage, the names of the members voting for and against entered on
the journal, and a majority of those voting, which shall include at
least two-fifths of the members elected to each house, recorded in the
affirmative.

And only in the manner required in sub-division “d” of this section
shall an amendment to a bill by one house be concurred in by the
other, or a conference report be adopted by either house, or either
house discharge a committee from the consideration of a bill and con-
sider the same as if reported; provided, that the printing and reading,
or either, required in sub-divisions “b” and “c” of this section, may be
dispensed with in a bill to codify the laws of the State, and in any
case of emergency, by a vote of four-fifths of the members voting in
each house, taken by the yeas and nays, the names of the members
voting for and against entered on the journal; provided further, that
no bill which creates or establishes a new office, or which creates, con-
tinues, or revives a debt or charge, or makes, continues, or revives any
appropriation of public or trust money or property, or releases or dis-
charges, or commutes any claim or demand of the State, or which
imposes, continues, or revives a tax, shall be passed, except by the
affirmative vote of the majority of all the members elected to each house,
the vote to be by the yeas and nays, and the names of the members
voting for and against entered on the journal. Every law imposing,
continuing, or reviving a tax shall specifically state such tax, and no
law shall be construed as so stating such tax which requires a reference
to any other law or any other tax. The presiding officer of each house
shall, in the presence of the house over which he presides, sign every
bill which has been passed by both houses and duly enrolled. Imme-
diately before this is done, all other business being suspended, the title
of the bill shall be publicly read. The fact of the signing shall he
entered on the journal.