Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 5. LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

CHAPTER 4. BILLS

Part 3. Action by Governor on Bills

Bills Returned Without Approval

5-4-305. Bills returned without approval. (1) A bill or item or items of an appropriations bill become law whenever:

(a) the bill passes both houses of the legislature;

(b) the bill is returned by the governor without signature and with objections to the bill or, if it is a bill containing several items of appropriation of money, with objections to one or more items; and

(c) upon reconsideration the bill or item or items pass both houses by the constitutional majority.

(2) The bill or item or items must be authenticated by a certificate endorsed on or attached to the bill or the copy of the statement of objections. The form of the certificate must be: "This bill having been returned by the governor with objections and, after reconsideration, having passed both houses by the constitutional majority has become a law this .... day of ...., A.D. ...." or "The following items in the within statement (naming them) having, after reconsideration, passed both houses by the constitutional majority have become a law this .... day of ...., A.D. ...". The endorsement, signed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house, is sufficient authentication of the bill or item or items.

(3) The authenticated bill or statement must be delivered to the governor, who shall deposit it with the laws in the office of the secretary of state.

History: En. Sec. 272, Pol. C. 1895; re-en. Sec. 102, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Sec. 86, R.C.M. 1921; Cal. Pol. C. Sec. 311; re-en. Sec. 86, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 309, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 43-503; amd. Sec. 228, Ch. 61, L. 2007.