§ 41-4-83 — Form and Contents of Budget

The budget shall consist of three parts, the nature and contents of which shall be as follows:
(1) Part I shall consist of the Governor’s budget message, in which he or she shall set forth:
a. His or her program for meeting all the expenditure needs of the government for each of the budget years, indicating the fund, general or special, from which such expenditures are to be made and the means through which such expenditures are to be financed.
b. Financial statements giving in summary form:
1. The condition of the Treasury at the end of the last completed fiscal year, the estimated condition of the Treasury at the end of the fiscal year in progress and the estimated condition of the Treasury at the end of each of the budget years if his budget proposals are to be put into effect.
2. Statements showing the bonded indebtedness of the government, debt authorized and unissued, debt redemption and interest requirements and the condition of the sinking funds, if any.
3. A summary of appropriations recommended for each of the budget years for each department, board, bureau, commission, agency, office, and institution of the state and for the government as a whole, in comparison with the actual expenditures for each of the completed fiscal years covered by the last preceding budget and the estimated expenditures for the fiscal year in progress.
4. A summary of the revenue, classified according to sources, estimated to be received by the government during each of the budget years, in comparison with the actual revenue received by the government during each of the completed fiscal years covered by the last preceding budget and the estimated income for the fiscal year in progress.
c. Such other financial statements, data and comments as in his or her opinion are necessary or desirable in order to make known in all practicable detail the financial condition and operation of the government and the effect that the budget as proposed by him or her will have on such condition and operation.
d. If the estimated revenues for the budget years plus the estimated amounts in the Treasury at the close of the fiscal year in progress are less than the aggregate appropriations recommended for the budget years, the Governor shall make recommendation to the Legislature with respect to the manner in which such deficit shall be met, whether by the imposition of new taxes, increased rates in existing taxes, or otherwise. If the revenues are more than the aggregate appropriations recommended, he shall make such recommendations with respect to the application of such surplus to the reduction of debt, to reductions in taxation or to such other action as in his or her opinion is in the public interest.
(2) Part II shall present in detail for each of the budget years his or her recommendations for appropriations to meet the expenditure needs of the government from each fund, general or special, in comparison with the actual expenditures for each of said purposes during the completed fiscal years covered by the last preceding budget and the estimated expenditures for the fiscal year in progress, classified by departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, agencies, officers, and institutions of the state and indicating for each the appropriations recommended for meeting the cost of salaries, travel and per diem expenses, administration, operation, and maintenance. Each item of expenditure, actual or estimated, and appropriations recommended shall be supported by detailed statements showing the actual and estimated expenditures and appropriations classified according to a standard scheme of classification to be prescribed by the Department of Finance and the purchase of land, public improvements, and other capital outlays in connection therewith.
(3) Part III shall embrace a proposed appropriation bill and a proposed revenue bill or bills for the purpose of proposing in statutory form the recommendations made in Parts I and II. Such appropriation bill or bills shall indicate the funds, general or special, from which such appropriations shall be made, but such appropriations need not be in greater detail than to indicate the total appropriation to be made for each department, board, bureau, commission, agency, office, and institution of the state for each budget year for salaries, travel and per diem expenses, administration, operation and maintenance and the cost of land, public improvements, and other capital outlays, itemized by specific projects or classes of projects of the same general character.

Legislative History

(Acts 1932, Ex. Sess., No. 37, p. 35; Acts 1939, No. 144, p. 190; Code 1940, T. 55, §94.)