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House Engrossed |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fiftieth Legislature Second Regular Session 2012
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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 2036 |
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A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Arizona; Amending article IX, Constitution of Arizona, by adding section 25; relating to state budgeting.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring:
1. Article IX, Constitution of Arizona, is proposed to be amended by adding section 25 as follows if approved by the voters and on proclamation of the Governor:
25. State budget; continuation; reduction; report; special session; definition
Section 25. A. On or before February 1 of each year, the legislature's budget committee staff and the governor's budget office shall jointly determine and publish the estimated total state general fund revenues, including monies carried forward from the previous fiscal year, for the following fiscal year by quarter. Before the legislature adopts a state budget, the legislature's budget committee staff and the governor's budget office shall jointly agree on updated revenue estimates. During the fiscal year these updated revenue estimates shall be incorporated in any subsequent revisions to the state's budget.
B. On or before May 31 of each year, the legislature shall adopt for the following fiscal year a state budget in which the total state general fund appropriations do not exceed the total state general fund revenues that this state is expected to receive pursuant to the most recent estimate published pursuant to subsection A of this section. The state budget shall not allow for the obligations of this state in a given fiscal year to be deferred in whole or in part to another fiscal year. The state budget may allow an obligation to be paid in the following fiscal year if there are sufficient monies unexpended by an agency in the prior fiscal year to cover the cost of the obligation.
C. If a state budget that complies with subsection B of this section is not approved by the legislature on or before May 31, the current fiscal year's appropriations for each state department or agency shall continue in effect in the following fiscal year, notwithstanding funding formulas approved by initiative or referendum for specific purposes or funds, except that if the total state general fund appropriation level exceeds the most recent estimate published pursuant to subsection A of this section, each state department's and agency's budget shall be reduced proportionally until the total state general fund appropriations are one per cent below the most recent estimated state general fund revenue.
D. On or before October 20, January 20 and April 20 of each fiscal year, the legislature's budget committee staff and the governor's budget office shall jointly determine and publish the cumulative state general fund revenues received by this state in the current fiscal year taking into account revenues received during the most recent fiscal year quarter. The legislature's budget committee staff and the governor's budget office shall compare the quarterly revenue estimate in the current fiscal year to the quarterly revenue estimate published pursuant to subsection A of this section and Jointly determine whether the difference in the revenues is at least two per cent below the most recent estimate of annual general fund revenues published pursuant to subsection A of this section, as adjusted consistent with the overall percentage of any state budget reductions made for the current fiscal year pursuant to subsection F of this section.
E. If it is determined in a quarterly report published pursuant to subsection D of this section that the current fiscal year revenues are at least two per cent below the most recent estimate of annual general fund revenues published pursuant to subsection A of this section, the governor shall call the legislature into special session to address the state budget within fifteen days after the determination.
F. The legislature shall ensure that a state budget that meets the requirements of subsection B of this section is adopted for the current fiscal year in the first thirty days of the special session. If a state budget that meets the requirements of subsection B of this section is not adopted then, notwithstanding funding formulas approved by initiative or referendum for specific purposes or funds, each state department's and agency's budget shall be reduced proportionally by the percentage revenue shortfall identified in the latest quarterly report published pursuant to subsection D of this section plus one percentage point.
G. This section does not prohibit the legislature from enacting at any time a balanced state budget consistent with the requirements of subsection B of this section.
H. For the purposes of this section, "state budget" means the general appropriation bill and supplemental appropriation bills for the support and maintenance of the different departments of this state, for state institutions, for public schools and for interest on the public debt for a specific fiscal year.
2. The Secretary of State shall submit this proposition to the voters at the next general election as provided by article XXI, Constitution of Arizona.