Gubernatorial Veto Authority with Respect to Major Budget Bill(s)

Legislative Budget Procedures: Enactment of the Budget

Legislative Budget Procedures Executive Summary

Gubernatorial Veto Authority with Respect to Major Budget Bill(s)

State or other Jurisdiction	Funding for a Particular Line Item	Funding for an Entire Program or Agency	Language Accompanying Approp. Itself †	Language in Footnote or Following Approp. Explaining How $ to Be Spent †	Proviso or Contingency Language on Expend. of Approp. †	Entire Bill Only	Reduce (R) Approp. or Substitute (S) New Measure for Consideration	Other
Alabama	x	—	—	—	—	—	S*	—
Alaska	x*	x	x	x	x	—	R	—
Arizona	x	x	—	—	—	—	—	—
Arkansas	x	x	—	—	—	—	—	—
California	x	x	x	x	x	—	R	—
Colorado	x	x	—	x*	x*	—	—	—
Connecticut	x	x	—	—	—	—	—	—
Delaware	x	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Florida	x	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Georgia	x	x	x	x	x	—	—	—
Hawaii	x	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Idaho	x	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Illinois	x	x	—	—	—	—	R*	—
Indiana	—	—	—	—	—	x	—	—
Iowa	x	x	x	x	x	—	—	x*
Kansas	x	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Kentucky	x	x	—	—	x	—	—	—
Louisiana	x*	x	x	x	x	—	—	x*
Maine	x*	x	—	—	—	—	—	x*
Maryland	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	x*
Massachusetts	x	x	x	x	x	—	R	—
Michigan	x*	x	x*	x*	—	—	—	—
Minnesota	x	x	—	—	—	—	—	—
Mississippi	x	x	x	x	x	—	—	—
Missouri	x	x	—	—	—	—	R
Montana	x*	x	x*	—	—	—	—	—
Nebraska	x*	x*	—	—	—	—	R	—
Nevada	—	—	—	—	—	x	—	—
New Hampshire	—	—	—	—	—	x	—	x*
New Jersey	x	x	x	x	x	—	R	—
New Mexico	x	x	x	x	x	—	—	—
New York	x	x	x	x	x	—	—	x*
North Carolina	—	—	—	—	—	x	—	—
North Dakota	x	x	x	x	x	—	—	—
Ohio	x	x	x	x	x	—	—	—
Oklahoma	x	x	—	x	—	—	—	—
Oregon	x	x	—	—	—	—	—	—
Pennsylvania	x	x	—	—	—	—	R	—
Rhode Island	—	—	—	—	—	x	—	—
South Carolina	x	x	x	x	x	—	—	—
South Dakota	x	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Tennessee	x	x	—	—	—	—	R	—
Texas	x	x	—	—	—	—	—	x
Utah	x	—	*	*	*	—	—	—
Vermont	—	—	—	—	—	x	—	—
Virginia	x*	x	x*	x*	x*	—	R	—
Washington	x	x	x	x	x	—	—	—
West Virginia	x	x	x	—	—	—	R	—
Wisconsin	x	x	x	—	x	—	R, S	—
Wyoming	x	x	—	x	x	—	—	x
American Samoa	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
District of Columbia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Guam	x	—	—	—	—	—	—	x*
Northern Mariana Islands	x	x	x	—	—	—	—	x*
Puerto Rico	x	x	—	—	—	—	—	—
U.S. Virgin Islands	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total: States	43	35	19	19	19	6	S: 2; R: 12	8
Total: States and Territories	46	37	20	19	19	6	S: 2; R: 12	10

Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, December 1997.

Key:
— = Not applicable
N/R = No response
† = Language Accompanying Appropriation: Language that describes an appropriation and is next to the appropriation. This may be a title or short description.
† = Footnote Language: Language that describes how money is to be spent. Footnotes also may be called legislative intent language. Footnotes usually appear on the bottom of the page with the corresponding appropriation.
† = Proviso Language: Language that explains what the executive, legislative or judicial agency has to do to receive an appropriation. This also is known as contingency language.

*Notes:

Alabama: The governor may veto the bill entirely or offer executive amendments, which may delete or add figures and language. The governor has line item veto if the Legislature is still in session.

Alaska: The governor can veto anything that appears as a line item. The governor could veto objects of expenditure if the budget were produced at that level.

Colorado: Intent language and contingency language may be vetoed only if it is unconstitutional.

Illinois: The governor has reduction veto power on a particular line item. The amount he/she approves becomes law unless the veto is overridden by the legislature.

Iowa: As a result of a state Supreme Court suit, the governor, in item vetoing, must veto a complete section—he or she can do that only in an appropriations bill. Before this suit, the governor vetoed words.

Louisiana: The governor can veto anything that appears as a line item or veto the entire bill.

Maine: In 1996 the governor was granted line-item veto authority. For any disapproved amount, the governor has to replace the amount somewhere else, so that there is no net change in appropriated amounts. In addition, a gubernatorial veto may be overridden by a simple majority.

Maryland: The governor has no veto power over the budget bill.

Michigan: If a line item is vetoed, language also is vetoed as a rule. And if the language makes an appropriation, it is subject to veto.

Montana: The constitution states that the governor may veto "items," generally defined as specific appropriations. However, "item" also includes standard language. If a bill originally passed by a two-thirds vote and the Legislature has adjourned, the secretary of state can poll the legislative membership by mail for a veto override vote.

Nebraska: "Line items" for veto purposes are the same as an agency program.

New Hampshire: The constitution prohibits budget footnotes in appropriations bills that establish, amend or repeal sections of state laws that are not related to operating expenses.

New York: The governor may veto only legislative "additions" to the budget.

Utah: To veto intent language, the entire item (including funding) must be vetoed.

Virginia: Gubernatorial line item vetoes must strike an indivisible sum of money for a stated purpose, along with all language conditions or restrictions applied thereto. Language may not be stricken without also striking the accompanying appropriation.

Wisconsin: The governor may reduce an appropriated amount by striking a digit. The governor also may strike an entire amount and write in a lower figure.

Guam: The governor also has authority to veto the entire bill.

Northern Mariana Islands: The governor has a vast line-item veto power. The only restriction is that if a line-item veto is made on certain worksheets, all related administrative provisions also must be vetoed; otherwise, such veto will not be effective. In case of discrepancies between the worksheets and the administrative provisions, the latter shall prevail.

Legislative Budget Procedures Executive Summary

Posted March 1999, reviewed December 2003.
The publication to which this table belongs, Legislative Budget Procedures: A Guide to Appropriations and Budget Processes in the States, Commonwealths and Territories, is available wholly and solely online.
Email mailto:statebudget-info@ncsl.org?subject=Legislative Budget Procedures: Gubernatorial Veto Authority with Respect to Major Budget Bill(s) for more information.
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