Vetoes/ Executive Branch

Question 1

What actions can a Governor take once a bill receives final approval by the Legislature?

Answer 1

Sign the Bill
Veto the Bill
Inaction allows Bill to become law

Question 2

In normal situations, how much time does the Governor have to veto a bill?

Answer 2

45 days (plus the time to noon on the next quorum day in the House of Origin)

Question 3

What happens at the end of a 2 year legislative session relating to the Governor’s ability to veto a bill?

Answer 3

At the end of a 2 year legislative session, a bill passed between the 45th and 10th day before the expiration of a session, the Governor has until noon of day prior to expiration of 2 year legislative session to sign or veto the bill. (2nd Monday in Jan on every even-numbered year).

Question 4

What happens when a bill is passed less than 10 days before the Legislative session expires?

Answer 4

• A bill only becomes law if it is signed by the Governor
• The Governor has 7 days after the end of Legislative Session to sign the bill into law.
• If the Governor does not sign the bill in that timeframe, the bill is “pocket vetoed”

Question 5

What is a special session?

Answer 5

When the Legislature convenes on the Monday before the end of a Legislative Session to consider any vetoes.

Question 6

What is a conditional veto?

Answer 6

The Governor is Overriding and Agreeing with Amendments

Governor returns the bill to the house of origin with proposed amendments that would make it acceptable.

Question 7

Can the legislature override a conditional veto? If so, what is the procedure?

Answer 7

Yes, if the Legislature disapproves of the proposed amendments, it can override the conditional veto via a concurrent resolution by 2/3 vote in both Houses. However, the Legislature can also choose to take no action on the veto.

Question 8

What happens if the Legislature agrees with the Governor’s conditional veto?

Answer 8

The Legislature can re-enact the bill with Governor’s Amendments by a majority vote in both houses

Question 9

Can the Legislature make further revisions to a bill that is conditionally vetoed?

Answer 9

No - the Legislature either has to accept all the changes from the Governor, Override the Veto, or let the Bill die

Question 10

If the legislature votes to approve the Governor’s conditional veto, how long does the Governor have to sign the bill into law?

Answer 10

After the bill is sent back to the Governor, the Governor has 10 days to sign, or the bill dies.

Question 11

What are the types of Vetos?

Answer 11

• Absolute Veto
• Conditional Veto
• Line-Item Veto
• Pocket Veto

Question 12

What is an absolute veto?

Answer 12

The Governor HATES the bill and will not sign it even with changes

Question 13

Can the legislature override an absolute veto? If so, what is the procedure?

Answer 13

Yes - the Legislature can override the absolute veto with a 2/3 Vote in both Houses

Question 14

What is a pocket veto?

Answer 14

Bills passed in the last 10 days of the legislative session that are not signed by the governor. Governor is in effect “pocketing” the bill.

Question 15

Can the legislature override a pocket veto? If so, what is the procedure?

Answer 15

No - this is the only type of veto that the legislature does not have the ability to overturn.

Question 16

What happens if a bill is pocket vetoed?

Answer 16

The Bill must restart the process in the next session.

Question 17

What gives the Governor the authority to veto bills?

Answer 17

New Jersey Constitution provides Governor 4 different veto powers.

Question 18

Is the Governor’s veto power the same as federal veto power?

Answer 18

No - the NJ Constitution grants the Governor 4 types of veto power unlike the federal constitution. The federal government does not have our line-item veto power.

Question 19

What happens if a bill is absolute vetoed?

Answer 19

Bill remains pending in the Legislature until the Legislature decides to take action.

Question 20

Why do we have pocket vetos?

Answer 20

In the last 10 days, there are a lot of bills passed – a sort of “throw everything to the wall and see what sticks” mentality. Pocket Vetoes help to deal with this mass of bills and allow the Governor to put not as important bill in his/her “pocket” – thus, it allows the governor to choose what to focus on, without worrying that something might unintentionally become law because he/she didn’t see it in time.

Question 21

What are line-item vetoes?

Answer 21

Line Item Vetoes can only be used on bills that appropriate moneys/funds

This veto allows the governor to remove or lower monetary values and strike out language in bills that appropriate funds.

This veto may only reduce or eliminate funds – it cannot increase appropriated moneys

Line-item veto can also strike out language in the appropriation bill – this does not need to be related to the monetary aspects of the bill. It can remove legislative oversight as an example.

Question 22

What happens when the Governor uses a line-item veto?

Answer 22

The modified bill automatically becomes law

Question 23

Can the legislature override a line-item veto? If so, what is the procedure?

Answer 23

Yes, the Legislature can override the veto with a current resolution passed by a 2/3 majority vote of authorized membership of each house.

Overriding the veto can only restore the bill to its original form - it cannot be altered further.

Question 24

Can the Governor do a line-item veto and a conditional veto at the same time?

Answer 24

No

Line-Item Veto allows the Governor’s changes to become law immediately

Conditional Veto goes back to the Legislature

A bill cannot “be law” and “not law” at the same time.

Question 25

What do Legislative Liaisons do?

Answer 25

Executive departments employ staff members to be a link between the Executive Department and Legislature.

Liaisons role is to represent the interests of the department regarding legislation and provide legislature and its committees with technical expertise and info about dept.