Article III, § 49-h — BOND ISSUANCE FOR CORRECTIONAL AND STATEWIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITIES AND FOR INSTITUTIONS FOR PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

(a) In amounts authorized by constitutional amendment or by a debt proposition under Section 49 of this article, the legislature may provide for the issuance of general obligation bonds and the use of the bond proceeds for acquiring, constructing, or equipping new facilities or for major repair or renovation of existing facilities of corrections institutions, including youth corrections institutions, and mental health and mental retardation institutions. The legislature may require the review and approval of the issuance of the bonds and the projects to be financed by the bond proceeds. Notwithstanding any other provision of this constitution, the issuer of the bonds or any entity created or directed to review and approve projects may include members or appointees of members of the executive, legislative, and judicial departments of state government. (b) Bonds issued under this section constitute a general obligation of the state. While any of the bonds or interest on the bonds is outstanding and unpaid, there is appropriated out of the first money coming into the treasury in each fiscal year, not otherwise appropriated by this constitution, the amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds that mature or become due during the fiscal year, less any amount in any sinking fund at the end of the preceding fiscal year that is pledged to payment of the bonds or interest. (c) In addition to the purposes authorized under Subsection (a), the legislature may authorize the issuance of the general obligation bonds for acquiring, constructing, or equipping: (1) new statewide law enforcement facilities and for major repair or renovation of existing facilities; and (2) new prisons and substance abuse felony punishment facilities to confine criminals and major repair or renovation of existing facilities of those institutions, and for the acquisition of, major repair to, or renovation of other facilities for use as state prisons or substance abuse felony punishment facilities. (Added Nov. 3, 1987; Subsec. (c) added Nov. 7, 1989; Subsec. (d) added Nov. 5, 1991; Subsec. (e) added Nov. 2, 1993; Subsecs. (a) and (c) amended, Subsec. (d) amended and redesignated Subsec. (c), and Subsec. (e) deleted Nov. 2, 1999.) (Temporary transition provisions for Sec. 49-h: see Appendix, Note 1.)