WEST virginia legislature

2016 regular session

Introduced

Senate Joint Resolution 6

By Senators Trump, Plymale, Stollings and Williams

[Introduced January 13, 2016;
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary; and then to the Committee on Finance.]

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia, relating to authorizing the Legislature to issue and sell state bonds not exceeding the aggregate amount of $2 billion to be used for improvement and construction of state roads and bridges; numbering and designating such proposed amendment; and providing a summarized statement of the purpose of such proposed amendment.

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia, two thirds of the members elected to each house agreeing thereto:

That the question of ratification or rejection of an amendment to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia be submitted to the voters of the State at the next general election to be held in 2016, which proposed amendment is to read as follows:

WEST VIRGINIA BETTER ROADS AMENDMENT OF 2016.

(a) The Legislature may issue and sell state bonds not exceeding in the aggregate two billion dollars. The proceeds of the bonds may be issued and sold over a five-year period in the following amounts:

(1) The first day of July, two thousand and seventeen, four hundred million dollars;

(2) The first day of July, two thousand and eighteen, four hundred million dollars;

(3) The first day of July, two thousand and nineteen, four hundred million dollars;

(4) The first day of July, two thousand and twenty, four hundred million dollars; and,

(5) The first day of July, two thousand and twenty-one, four hundred million dollars.

Any bonds not issued under the provisions of subdivisions (1) through (4) of this subsection may be carried forward and issued in any subsequent year.

(b) The proceeds of the bonds shall be used and appropriated for the following purposes:

(1) Matching available federal funds for highway construction in this state; and

(2) General highway construction or improvements in each of the fifty-five counties.

(c) When a bond issue as aforesaid is authorized, the Legislature shall at the same time provide for the collection of an annual state tax sufficient to pay as it may accrue the interest on such bonds and the principal thereof within and not exceeding twenty-five years.

Resolved further, That in accordance with the provisions of article eleven, chapter three of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one as amended, such proposed amendment is hereby numbered “Amendment No. 1” and designated as the “West Virginia Better Roads Amendment of 2016” and the purpose of the proposed amendment is summarized as follows: “To provide for the improvement and construction of better public roads in the State of West Virginia.”

NOTE: The purpose of this resolution is offer to the voters the opportunity to authorize the Legislature to issue and sell state bonds not exceeding the aggregate amount of two billion dollars to be used for improvement and construction of state roads and bridges.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present Constitution, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.