Political Constitution of Colombia (1991)

The appropriations bill shall include the totality of the expenditure which the State plans to implement during the respective fiscal period. If the legally authorized revenues are not sufficient to cover the projected expenditure, the Government shall propose separately, before the same committees that are considering the budget bill, the creation of new revenues or the modification of existing ones to finance the amount of contemplated expenditure.

The budget may be approved without the completion of the bill raising additional revenues which progress may continue in the subsequent legislative term.

During the years 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 the total amount of the appropriations authorized by the annual budget law for general expenditures, other than those earmarked for the payment of pensions, health [costs], defense expenditure, personal services, of the General System of Shares and for other transfers determined by the relevant Act, may not be increased from one year to another by a percentage superior to the inflation rate resulting for each of them, plus one point five percent (1.5%).

The limitation of the amount of appropriations shall not apply to those [appropriations] necessary to meet the expenditure decreed by using the powers under a State of Exception.