| Section 1. To meet biennially; power of Legislature to |
convene itself at other times; extent of legislative power. |
The Legislature shall convene on the first Wednesday of |
December following the general election in what shall be |
designated the first regular session of the Legislature; and |
shall further convene on the first Wednesday after the first |
Tuesday of January in the subsequent even-numbered year in |
what shall be designated the second regular session of the |
Legislature; provided, however, that the business of the |
second regular session of the Legislature shall be limited to |
budgetary matters; legislation in the Governor's call; |
legislation of an emergency nature admitted by the |
Legislature; legislation referred to committees for study and |
report by the Legislature in the first regular session; and |
legislation presented to the Legislature by written petition |
of the electors under the provisions of Article IV, Part |
Third, Section 18. The Legislature shall enact appropriate |
statutory limits on the length of the first regular session |
and of the second regular session for a period of up to 2 |
months. The Legislature may convene at such other times on |
the call of the President of the Senate and Speaker of the |
House, with the consent of a majority of the Members of the |
Legislature of each political party, all Members of the |
Legislature having been first polled. The Legislature, with |
the exceptions hereinafter stated, shall have full power to |
make and establish all reasonable laws and regulations for the |
defense and benefit of the people of this State, not repugnant |
to this Constitution, nor to that of the United States. |