§18. Gubernatorial Action on Bills; Sign, Failure to Sign, Veto; Veto Session

            Section 18.(A) Gubernatorial Action. If the governor does not approve a bill, he may veto it. A bill, except a joint resolution, shall become law if the governor signs it or if he fails to sign or veto it within ten days after delivery to him if the legislature is in the session in which the bill passed on the tenth day after such delivery, or within twenty days after delivery if the tenth day after delivery occurs after the legislative session in which the bill passed is adjourned.

            (B) Veto Message. If the governor vetoes a bill, he shall return it to the legislature, with his veto message, within twelve days after delivery to him if the legislature is in the session in which the bill passed. If the governor returns a vetoed bill after the legislative session in which the bill passed is adjourned, he shall return it, with his veto message, as provided by law.

            (C) Veto Session. (1) A bill vetoed and returned and subsequently approved by two-thirds of the elected members of each house shall become law. The legislature shall meet in veto session in the state capital at noon on the fortieth day following final adjournment of each session in which a bill that finally passed was vetoed, to consider all bills passed during that session that were vetoed by the governor and that were not reconsidered by the house of origin during the session in which the bill passed. If the fortieth day falls on Sunday, the session shall convene at noon on the succeeding Monday. No veto session shall exceed five calendar days, and any veto session may be finally adjourned prior to the end of the fifth day upon a vote of two-thirds of the elected members of each house.

            (2) No veto session shall be held if a majority of the elected members of either house declare in writing that a veto session is unnecessary. The declaration must be received by the presiding officer of the respective houses at least five days prior to the day on which the veto session is to convene.

            (3) If a veto session is to be held and the time period for the conduct of the veto session occurs during a regular or extraordinary session of the legislature, the legislature may reconsider all bills vetoed by the governor and not previously reconsidered by the legislature as part of the business of the regular or extraordinary session during the time period set forth in Subparagraph (1) of this Paragraph without the necessity of convening or adjourning a separate veto session.

            Acts 1989, No. 841, §1, approved Oct. 7, 1989, eff. Nov. 7, 1989; Amended by Acts 2022, No. 278, §1, approved Nov. 18, 2023, eff. Jan. 8, 2024.