CHAPTER 722
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 638

Proposing an amendment to Section 50 of the Constitution of Virginia.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 7, 1966
Agreed to by the Senate, March 11, 1966

Resolved by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, a ma-
jority of the members elected to each house agreeing, That the following
amendment to the Constitution of Virginia be, and the same hereby is
proposed and referred to the General Assembly at its first regular session
held after the next general election of members of the House of Delegates
for its concurrence in conformity with the provisions of section one hun-
dred ninety-six of the Constitution, namely :

Strike from the Constitution of Virginia Section 50 which is as fol-
OWS:

Section 50. Enactment of laws; tax laws shall specifically state the
tax and require a vote of majority of members.—No law shall be enacted
except by bill. A bill may originate in either house, may be approved or
re) ected by the other, or 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;
th (b) Printed by the house in which it originated prior to its passage

erein;

(c) Read by title on three different calendar days in each house;
and unless—
(d) Upon its final passage a yea and nay vote has been taken thereon
in each house, 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.

Only in the manner required in subdivision (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 consider the same as if
reported. The printing and reading, or either, required in subdivisions
(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, and
the names of the members voting for and against, entered on the journal.

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, con-
tinues or revives a tax, shall be passed except by the affirmative vote of
& 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 that 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 signing shall be entered on the journal.

And insert in lieu thereof the following:

Section 50. Enactment of laws; tax laws shall specifically state the
tax and require a vote of majority of members.—No law shall be enacted
except by bill. A bill may originate in either house, may be approved or
rejected by the other, or 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;

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

(c) Read by title on three different calendar days in each house, and
unless—

(d) Upon its final passage a yea and nay vote has been taken thereon
in each house, 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.

Only in the manner required in subdivision (d) of this section shall an
amendment to a bill by one house be concurred in by the other. or a con-
ference report be adopted by either house, or either house discharge a
committee from the consideration of a bill and consider the same as if
reported. The printing and reading, or either, required in subdivisions
(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, and the
names of the members voting for and against, entered on the journal.

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 a ma-
jority 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.

The presiding officer of each house shall, in the presence of the
house over which he presides, sign every bill that 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
signing shall be entered on the journal.