HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 59 Offered January 11, 2006 Prefiled January 9, 2006 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia by adding in Article X a section numbered 7-B, relating to limits on appropriations. ---------- Patron-- Frederick ---------- Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections ----------

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, a majority of the members elected to each house agreeing, That the following amendment to the Constitution of Virginia be, and the same hereby is, proposed and referred to the General Assembly at its first regular session held after the next general election of members of the House of Delegates for its concurrence in conformity with the provisions of Section 1 of Article XII of the Constitution of Virginia, namely:

Amend the Constitution of Virginia by adding in Article X a section numbered 7-B as follows:

ARTICLE X TAXATION AND FINANCE

Section 7-B.  Limit on appropriations.

The General Assembly shall not make total appropriations for any fiscal year that exceed the total appropriations for the immediately preceding fiscal year by the greater of (i) five percent or (ii) a percentage equal to the percentage increase in the rate of inflation for the most recently available year, plus the percentage increase in state population, both as shall be defined by general law, except appropriations made (a) for tax relief, (b) for deposits to the Revenue Stabilization Fund, or (c) for nonrecurring capital projects. For purposes of this section, "total appropriations" means all appropriations except for any moneys appropriated that are received from the federal government or an agency or unit thereof.

The General Assembly shall enact such laws as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this section.