W. Va. Const. art. VI, § 22

History

[Editor’s note. – The first amendment of this section was proposed by Senate Joint Resolution No. 3, Acts, Regular Session, 1919, p. 498; submitted by Acts, Regular Session, 1919, c. 127; and ratified November 2, 1920. This section, prior to its amendment, read: “No session of the Legislature, after the first, shall continue longer that forty-five days, without the concurrence of two thirds of the members elected to each house.” It was amended to read: “All sessions of the Legislature, other than extraordinary sessions, shall continue in session for a period not exceeding fifteen days from the date of convening, during which time no bills shall be passed or rejected, unless the same shall be necessary to provide for a public emergency, shall be specially recommended by the governor and passed by a vote of four fifths of the members elected to each house; whereupon, a recess of both houses must be taken until the Wednesday after the second Monday of March following. On reassembling of the Legislature, no bill shall be introduced in either house without a vote of three fourths of all the members elected to each house taken by yeas and nays. The regular session shall not continue longer than forty-five days after reconvening, without the concurrence of two thirds of the members elected to each house.” The second amendment was proposed by Senate Joint Resolution No. 9, Acts, Regular Session, 1927, p. 350; submitted by Acts, Regular Session, 1927, c. 28; and ratified November 6, 1928. It was amended to read: “All sessions of the Legislature, other than extraordinary sessions, shall continue for a period of sixty days from the date of beginning. But all regular sessions may be extended by the concurrence of two thirds of the members elected to each house.” The third amendment of this section was proposed by Senate Joint Resolution No. 4, Acts, Regular Session, 1953, p. 612; submitted by Acts, Regular Session, 1953, c. 31; and ratified November 2, 1954. It was amended to read: “The regular session of the Legislature held in the year one thousand nine hundred fifty-five and every second year thereafter shall not exceed sixty days, and the regular session held in the year one thousand nine hundred fifty-six and every second year thereafter shall not exceed thirty days. During any thirty-day session the Legislature shall consider no other business than the annual budget bill, except such as may be stated in a proclamation issued by the governor at least ten days prior to the convening of the session, or such business as may be stated by the Legislature on its own motion in a concurrent resolution adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members elected to each house. All regular sessions may be extended by the concurrence of two thirds of the members elected to each house.” The fourth amendment of this section was proposed by House Joint Resolution No. 8, Acts, Regular Session, 1970, p. 456; submitted by Acts, Regular Session, 1970, c. 22; and ratified November 3, 1970. This section was amended to read as set out above.]