Chap. 147.—JOINT RESOLUTION proposing an amendment to section
50 of article IV. of the Constitution of Virginia. (Senate. )

Whereas, the proposed amendment to section fifty of article
four of the Constitution, hereinafter fully set forth, was agreed
to by a.majority of the members elected to the two houses of the
general assembly at its session of nineteen hundred and four.
teen, and referred to this, the next general assembly, and pub-
lished for three months as required by the Constitution, and as
is shown by report of such publication by the clerk of the house
of delegates:
Now, therefore resolved by the senate, the house of dele-
gates concurring (a majority 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, 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:

Sec. 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

n-—

(a) Referred to a committee of each house, considered by
such committee in session, and reported:

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

(c) Read at length on three 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 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 consid-
eration of a bill and consider the same as if reported; provided,
that the printing and reading, or either, required in sub-divis-
ion (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 re-
vives any appropriation of public or trust money or property,
or releases, or discharges, 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 re-
viving 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 be-
ing 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:

Sec. 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

een:
(a) Referred to a committee of each house, considered by
such committee 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,

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 consid-
eration of a bill and consider the same as if reported; provided,
that the printing and reading, or either, required in sub-divis-
ions “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 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; and provided further, that no
bill which creates or establishes 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, discharges, 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. 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.