WEST virginia legislature

2021 regular session

Introduced

House Joint Resolution 7

By Delegate J. Jeffries

[Introduced February 11, 2021; Referred
to the Committee on Finance then Judiciary ]

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia amending article VI thereof by adding thereto a new section, designated §32A, relating to the vote needed to raise a tax or increase a fee; 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 the year two thousand twenty-two, which proposed amendment is that Article VI thereof be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §32A to read as follows:

Article VI. The Legislature.

§32A. Votes needed to increase a tax or fee.

No tax or fee may be increased by the Legislature without the vote of two thirds of the members of each house who vote upon the same.

Resolved further, That in accordance with the provisions of article eleven, chapter three of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, such amendment is hereby numbered “Amendment No. 1” and designated as the “Super majority needed to increase a tax or fee amendment” and the purpose of the proposed amendment is summarized as follows:  “To require a two-thirds vote in each house of the Legislature to increase any tax or fee.“

NOTE: The purpose of this resolution is to require a two-thirds vote in each house of the Legislature to increase any tax or fee.

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