07 LC 28
3495S
The
Senate Finance Committee offered the following substitute to SR 5:
A
RESOLUTION
Proposing
an amendment to the Constitution so as to restrict amendments that increase
appropriations made by the General Appropriations Act; to provide for a short
title; to provide for the submission of this amendment for ratification or
rejection; and for other purposes.
BE
IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
This
resolution shall be known and may be cited as the "Taxpayers´ Dividend
Act."
SECTION
2.
Article
III, Section IX, Paragraph IV of the Constitution is amended by adding at the
end a new subparagraph to read as follows:
"(e)
A General Appropriations Act passed after July 1, 2009, shall not be amended
following adjournment sine die of the session in which the Act was passed if
such amendment would increase the amount appropriated in such Act unless that
amendment:
(1)
Increases the appropriations to fund increases in student enrollment for local
school systems;
(2)
Is funded by federal funds, grants, gifts, fees, or other funds not derived from
state purpose taxes; or
(3)
Is approved by two-thirds of the members of each house.
Funds
otherwise available for appropriation through an amendment to a General
Appropriations Act but not appropriated pursuant to subparagraph (1) or (2) of
this subparagraph shall be appropriated by the General Assembly during the
immediately succeeding regular legislative session following passage of that Act
only for purposes of providing for a refund of state taxes, reducing existing
state debt, increasing the reserve fund, or any combination of such purposes.
Appropriations for those purposes shall not be subject to the limitations of
subparagraph (1) or (2) of this subparagraph."
SECTION
3.
The
above proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be published and submitted as
provided in Article X, Section I, Paragraph II of the Constitution. The ballot
submitting the above proposed amendment shall have written or printed thereon
the following:
|
"( ) YES
( ) NO
|
Shall
the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to incorporate the Taxpayers´
Dividend Act restricting increased state spending by amendments to an enacted
General Appropriations Act and requiring that any surplus funds be used for the
purposes of refunding taxes, reducing debt, or increasing reserves unless agreed
to by a vote of two-thirds of each house of the General Assembly?"
|
All
persons desiring to vote in favor of ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote
"Yes." All persons desiring to vote against ratifying the proposed amendment
shall vote "No." If such amendment shall be ratified as provided in said
Paragraph of the Constitution, it shall become a part of the Constitution of
this state.