466 ADDRESSES AND STATE PAPERS

existing constitution's provision. The option to reduce may save many
items which merit inclusion in part, but could not be accommodated
in whole.

Section 4. 16 Presentation of Bills to the Governor

In my speech of September 29, 1967, I referred specifically to this
section. A significant extension of the ten-day limit is imperative. I
would suggest that a twenty-day limit for gubernatorial consideration
is the absolute minimum. The Attorney General, I know, shares my
view since it often takes two weeks for his office to research and pre-
pare opinions attesting to a measure's constitutionality.

A practical and feasible alternative which merits your consideration
has been suggested by the Secretary of State, C. Stanley Blair. A bill
presented to the Governor during the first forty days of the legislative
session would become law if the Governor signs or fails to veto it
within twenty days of presentation. Any measure enacted thereafter
will become law if the Governor signs or fails to veto it within thirty
days after the adjournment of the General Assembly. This I believe
is an equitable solution.

The inhibiting time factor pointed out in Section 4. 16 brings to
mind another debilitating time restriction currently left to statute,
which I believe should be corrected through constitutional provision.
This is the existing stipulation that gubernatorial appointments re-
quiring Senate confirmation be presented to the Senate within thirty
days of the opening of each regular session of the General Assembly.

I favor the inclusion of an additional section to Article IV of the
Constitution to cover the presentation of executive appointments.
The provision should allow the legislature to fix the date for presenta-
tion of gubernatorial appointments at a time not earlier than sixty
days from the first day of the regular General Assembly session. This
would allow the Governor sufficient time to interview and evaluate
prospective appointees. It would also provide time for the Governor
to investigate the acceptability to the Senate of his proposed ap-
pointees. Under the existing arrangement such careful consideration
is impossible, especially for a newly elected Governor.

I might point out that the time allowed by law has been sixty
days until recently when the Legislature changed it to thirty days to
prevent the Governor from using executive appointments to push
his legislative program. I believe the harm that was done far out-
weighs the danger in the other direction.