Requires that the governor's appropriation and reappropriation budget bills be specifically itemized to assure accountability; provides that the purpose of such appropriations shall be specified in clear and plain language and shall refer to the commonly used name and the pertinent provisions of law; applies also to thirty-day amendments of the executive budget.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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3949
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
April 7, 2009
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Introduced by Sen. OPPENHEIMER -- read twice and ordered printed, and
when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY
proposing an amendment to section 3 of article 7 of the constitution, in
relation to requiring that the appropriations bills submitted to the
legislature by the governor set forth with enough specificity each
appropriation
1 Section 1. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That section 3 of arti-
2 cle 7 of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
3 § 3. At the time of submitting the budget to the legislature the
4 governor shall submit a bill or bills containing all the proposed appro-
5 priations and reappropriations included in the budget and the proposed
6 legislation, if any, recommended therein. All appropriations and reap-
7 propriations shall be specifically itemized by the purpose for which
8 they may be used to ensure accountability in the use of public funds.
9 Such purposes shall be specified in clear and plain language and shall
10 refer to both the commonly used names of the programs covered by such
11 appropriations and the provision of law (if any) authorizing the
12 programs, activities, or expenditures covered by such appropriations.
13 The governor may at any time within thirty days thereafter and, with
14 the consent of the legislature, at any time before the adjournment ther-
15 eof, amend or supplement the budget and submit amendments to any bills
16 submitted by him or her or submit supplemental bills. All appropri-
17 ations and reappropriations, contained in such amendments or supple-
18 mental bills, shall be specifically itemized by the purpose for which
19 they may be used. Such purposes shall be specified in clear and plain
20 language and shall refer to both the commonly used names of the programs
21 covered by such appropriations and the provision of law (if any) author-
22 izing the programs, activities, or expenditures covered by such appro-
23 priations.
24 The governor and the heads of departments shall have the right, and it
25 shall be the duty of the heads of departments when requested by either
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD89115-01-9
S. 3949 2
1 house of the legislature or an appropriate committee thereof, to appear
2 and be heard in respect to the budget during the consideration thereof,
3 and to answer inquiries relevant thereto. The procedure for such appear-
4 ances and inquiries shall be provided by law.
5 § 2. Resolved (if the Assembly concur), That the foregoing be referred
6 to the first regular legislative session convening after the next
7 succeeding general election of members of the assembly, and, in conform-
8 ity with section 1 of article 19 of the constitution, be published for 3
9 months previous to the time of such election.
