1916] OF THE SENATE. 133

changed the present provisions of the Constitution, we have
provided that the Governor shall in his estimates make pro-
vision for the State debt, for salaries payable by the Consti-
tution and laws of the State, for a free public school system,
as provided by law, and for such other purposes as are set
forth in the Constitution. The amendment also prevents the
Legislature from amending the Budget Bill so as to affect the
State debt; from reducing the salaries of public officers during
their term of office, the rule of the present Constitution, or
from altering the estimates for the free school system as sub-
mitted by the Governor.

Finally, the constitutional amendment which we have pro-
posed provides for the contingency that the Legislature does
not act upon the Budget Bill during its regular session, by
authorizing the Governor to extend that session. In case
he does so, the amendment provides that the Legislature may
not consider during the extended session any other matter
than the Budget Bill. We have also specifically provided that
the amendment proposed shall not be construed as prevent-
ing the Governor from calling extraordinary sessions of the
Legislature, as now provided in the Constitution, nor as pre-
venting the Legislature at such extraordinary sessions from
considering emergency appropriations.

Our thought in drafting the proposed amendment has
been:

First—To impose upon the Governor the sole responsibility,
within the limits of the Constitution and the provisions of
existing law, of presenting to the Legislature a complete and
comprehensive statement of the needs and resources of the
State based upon:

(a) Estimates made by those applying for State moneys;

(b) Evidence brought out at public hearings on those esti-
mates; and

(c) Administrative revision by the Governor of all esti-
mates, except those for the Legislature and the judiciary, and
for purposes for which provision has been made by the Con-
stitution or existing law.

Second—To make it impossible for the Legislature so to
change the plans proposed by the Governor as to produce
a deficit; but

Third—To permit the Legislature to make provision for any
purpose not included in the Governor's plan on the condi-