Section 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.