Approval of bills

48 U.S.C. § 1423i

• Title: 48 — Territories and Insular Possessions
• Chapter: SUBCHAPTER III—THE LEGISLATURE

Text

Every bill passed by the legislature shall, before it becomes a law, be entered upon the journal and presented to the Governor. If he approves it, he shall sign it, but if not he shall, except as hereinafter provided, return it, with his objections, to the legislature within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him. If he does not return it within such period, it shall be a law in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the legislature by adjournment prevents its return, in which case it shall be a law if signed by the Governor within thirty days after it shall have been presented to him; otherwise it shall not be a law. When a bill is returned by the Governor to the legislature with his objections, the legislature shall enter his objections at large on its journal and, upon motion of a member of the legislature, proceed to reconsider the bill. If, after such reconsideration, two-thirds of all the members of the legislature pass the bill, it shall be a law. If any bill presented to the Governor contains several items of appropriation of money, he may object to one or more of such items, or any part or parts, portion or portions thereof, while approving the other items, parts, or portions of the bill. In such a case he shall append to the bill at the time of signing it, a statement of the items, or parts or portions thereof, to which he objects, and the items, or parts or portions thereof, so objected to shall not take effect. All laws enacted by the legislature shall be reported by the Governor to the head of the department or agency designated by the President under section 1421a of this title. The Congress of the United States reserves the power and authority to annul the same.

History

(Aug. 1, 1950, ch. 512, §19, 64 Stat. 389; Pub. L. 90–497, §8, Sept. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 847; Pub. L. 93–608, §1(14), Jan. 2, 1975, 88 Stat. 1969.)

Editorial Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments
1975—Pub. L. 93–608 struck out requirement that reports be transmitted to Congress by the Secretary concerned.
1968—Pub. L. 90–497, §8(a), struck out President's authority to veto territorial legislation referred by the Governor after such legislation had been passed by the legislature over the Governor's veto.
Pub. L. 90–497, §8(b), struck out provision that, if Congress did not annul laws passed by the legislature and reported to Congress within one year of the date of its receipt by Congress, such laws were deemed to have been approved by Congress.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1968 Amendment
Pub. L. 90–497, §8(b), Sept. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 847, provided that the amendment made by that section is effective on the date of enactment of Pub. L. 90–497, which was approved Sept. 11, 1968.
Amendment by Pub. L. 90–497 necessary to authorize the holding of an election for Governor and Lieutenant Governor on Nov. 3, 1970, effective Jan. 1, 1970, and all other amendments unless otherwise provided effective Jan. 4, 1971, see section 13 of Pub. L. 90–497, set out as a note under section 1422 of this title.