§ 31. Appearances and inquiries in respect to the budget; procedure
regulated. The governor and the heads of departments, divisions and
offices each shall have the right to appear voluntarily and be heard in
respect to the budget before the committees of the houses of the
legislature to which such budget may be referred under the rules of such
houses, as herein provided. Such voluntary appearance by the head of a
department, division or office may be made either in person or by an
accredited representative of the department, division or office. If the
governor or the head of any department, division or office shall request
a hearing before the committee, in respect to the budget, the committee
shall notify him or them of the time or times when the committee is
prepared to hear him or them on such voluntary appearance. At any time
before the bills accompanying the budget shall have been reported, the
committee to which they were referred may request the head of any
department, division or office, other than the governor, to appear
before it, at a time stated or forthwith, and answer relevant inquiries
in respect to the budget. If, pursuant to section three of article seven
of the constitution, a house of the legislature directly requests the
head of a department, division or office to appear before it or a
committee thereof, to answer inquiries in respect to the budget, at a
time stated or forthwith, the secretary or clerk of such house, as the
case may be, shall notify him of such request and of the time when his
appearance is desired, immediately upon the adoption of the resolution
therefor. If the head of a department, division or office whose
appearance is requested by such house or committee be a board or
commission, the request may be directed to one or more of its members,
naming him or them.