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§ 20. Enacting clause of bills; laws enacted only by bill. The enacting clause of all bills shall be "Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:". No law shall be enacted except by bill.

History: Adopted by convention, July 29, 1859; ratified by electors, October 4, 1859; L. 1861, p. 53; L. 1974, ch. 458, § 1; November 5, 1974.

Attorney General's Opinions:

Public officers and employees; state moneys; investments; civil rights. 83-135.

Legislative; laws enacted only by bill; all bills passed presented to the governor. 84-8.

Resolution stating public policy does not have force and effect of law. 85-153.

CASE ANNOTATIONS

1. Legislature could not create crime by resolution; enacting clause vital. In re Swartz, Petitioner, 47 Kan. 157, 158, 27 P. 839.

2. Enrolled bill imports absolute verity unless irregularity is conclusively shown. Stephens v. Labette County, 79 Kan. 153, 156, 98 P. 790.

3. Laws of 1913, ch. 124, held constitutional. Hartzler v. City of Goodland, 97 Kan. 129, 130, 131, 135, 154 P. 265.

4. When house concurrent resolution may become a law. The State, ex rel., v. Knapp, 102 Kan. 701, 705, 171 P. 639.

5. Right of lieutenant governor to vote in case of tie determined. Coleman v. Miller, 146 Kan. 390, 396, 71 P.2d 518. Affirmed: 307 U.S. 433, 59 S. Ct. 972, 83 L.Ed. 1385.

6. Section not repealed by implication by Section 6 of Article 1, which authorizes governor to issue reorganization orders. Van Sickle v. Shanahan, 212 Kan. 426, 452, 511 P.2d 223.

7. Alteration or omission of enacting clause renders otherwise valid statute unconstitutional; substantial compliance not sufficient. State v. Kearns, 229 Kan. 207, 208, 209, 623 P.2d 507.

8. Cited in discussing Supreme Court's authority to make rules pertaining to court administration and procedure. State v. Mitchell, 234 Kan. 185, 193, 672 P.2d 1 (1983).

9. Claim that consolidation act (12-340 et seq.) violates this section by amending statutes not in bill form fails. State ex rel. Tomasic v. Unified Gov. of Wyandotte Co./Kansas City, 264 Kan. 293, 307, 955 P.2d 1136 (1998).