Fiscal Line Item Veto
Although the legislature has the exclusive power to appropriate, governors in 44 states can veto items contained in appropriations bills without having to veto the entire bill. This is an example of how shared budget power has evolved over time, in this case in response to a practice known as "log rolling," whereby spending to benefit special interests was included in appropriation bills to gain support for passage. While line item veto is generally accepted as it relates to appropriation bills, separation of powers considerations emerge over the definition of what constitutes an appropriation bill. At issue is whether the executive's veto power extends to policy language contained in appropriations bills, potentially infringing on the policymaking authority of the legislature. Separation of Powers |