To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives,

I write with regard to House bill 4664, “An Act Making Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2016 to Provide for Supplementing Certain Existing Appropriations and for Certain Other Activities or Projects.”

I appreciate the Legislature’s collaboration in enabling the Commonwealth to end fiscal year 2016 in balance and I am pleased to sign the vast majority of this bill into law, with the exception of two issues. 

First, the Legislature has included the proposed continuation of an earmark within the appropriation for adult basic education, item 7035-0002, and proposed an associated outside section to continue that earmark, section 20.  This earmark has already been funded and paid out.  For this reason, and pursuant to section 5 of Article LXIII, as amended by section 4 of Article XC of the Amendments to the Constitution, I hereby disapprove item 7035-0002 in section 2C.I.  For the same reason, I also disapprove section 20.

Second, the Legislature has proposed an outside section that would increase both the revenue ceiling and the authorized spending for the Department of Public Safety’s retained revenue appropriation.  These increases are not necessary.  For this reason, I also disapprove section 21A.

The remainder of this bill I approve.

Respectfully submitted,

Charles D. Baker,

Governor