Opinion letter to Dexter D. Davis

Jsnaa ry 22, 1 )70 Ol'DIIOI LITDltS 25 an4 103 Answered by Gardner Dexter D. Davia, Ca.alaatoner Department of Acrleul ture Jetteraon Building Jetteraon City, Mlaaourl 65101 Dear CO-.!aaloner Davlat Rete renee 1a aacle to your recent lettera troa .tlieh it appeara that JOU wiah to eatabllab an4 admtnlater a prog~aa tor uaina ttM aoney in the Asrieult\lft ._rsenoy hnd tor .. er- l•ney relief and rebabll1t&tlon. You requeat our opinion on the queat1on whether an appropriation auat be made by the Legiala ture ln order to uae any portion ot theae funcla tor a4a1n1atretlve purpoaea. Yo\l atate tbat at tbe pNaent tiM M1aaou.r1 baa approxl- utel.y .2,80o,ooo.oo i.n that tuncl. thla 110ney conaiata at the truat aaaeta ot the H1aaour1 Rural Bebabtlitat1on Corporation Wb!cb h&d been aaat&necl to the Secretary ot Acrlculture ot tbe Unlted St&tea and, on application by the Co.mlaa1oner, returned to the Stat. ot Mlaaouri punuant b tbe INral Behabll1tat1on Corporation Truat L1qu1dat1on Act t Pub lie Law 499, 8J.at Concreaa. approved M.&7 3, 1950 ( 64 Stat. 98 J • The receipt ot money by the State la controlled by Article IV, Section 15, ot the conatltutlon ot Niaaourl, wbich atatea in van a• followtt • ••• All revwnu. col~ected an4 .oneya received by tbe atate troa anr aource wbataoeYer ab&ll ao pro.ptl7 into tbe atate treaaur,r, and all 1ntereat, tnc:o~~e and returna tberefJ'Cil aball belon& to the atate ••.• • An1el.e IV. Section 28, ot' tbe Conatltution ot N1aaov.r1, 4eacr1bel the • nner in which vttb&trawal.a aay be aade 1'rom the 1ta te treuury. and read a in part •• tollowa a Dexter D. Davia, Co.aiaatone.r - •., •ney llhall be w1 thdn.wn fi'OII the atate t.reaaUI'J except by warrant drawn in accordance witb. an appropriation ll&d.e by law, nor ahall any obliaation tor the payment of .oney be incurred unleaa the comptroller certitiea it tor pqaent and certlfiea that the expenditure 1• witbin the purpoae of tbe appropriation and that there ia 1n the appropriation an unenoua- berecl balance autfic tent to pq 1 t. . . . " Thua, an appropriation would be required to pendt any por .. tion ot tbe Agrlcul ture BMrsency 1'\&nd to be w1 thdrawn ti'Oil the a tate treaaury. The laat aentenee ot Article IV, Section 23, of the Conati- tution of M1aaouri, prov1dea: • ••• &very appropriation law ahall 4iat1nctl.7 apeclty tbe amount and purpoae of the appropria- tion without reference to any otber law to tix the u:ount or pUl"pOae." We un4eratan4 that you euaaeet that the following proviaiona be included in tbe appropriation bill to be aubmitted to tbe Les- ialature at the Emeraeney Seaaion: "To the Governor. .All money 1n the Aarteultu.re Baercency P\&n4 tor 1nveatment, re1nveatment, and tor emeraency qr1cultun relief and reha- bilitation, 1nelu41ng admin1atrative expenaea.• It tbe •UB«eated provia1on ia enacted into law, it ia appar- ent that a apeoific appropriation ia sade tor a.dm1n1atrat1ve expenae 1n accordance with requireaenta of the Constitution ot IUaaouri. Youra very tnal¥, JOBII C • DUIPOJrfll Attome7 General -2-