A resolution to propose to the people of the State of California an amendment to the Constitution of the State, by amending Section 12 of Article IV thereof, relating to the state budget.

The California Constitution requires the Legislature to pass the Budget Bill by midnight on June 15 of each year. The Constitution further provides that money may be drawn from the Treasury only through an appropriation made by law. This measure would provide that, if the Budget Bill has not been enacted by July 1, funds would be appropriated from the General Fund and other funds and sources to the Controller for allocation by the Department of Finance to pay current expenses for essential state functions, as determined by the Department of Finance, during the period from July 1 until the Budget Bill is enacted, at amounts equal to appropriations for those state functions in the immediately preceding fiscal year. The measure would further provide that if total revenues in the current fiscal year from the funds and sources that support those functions are estimated by the Department of Finance to be less than those revenues in the immediately preceding fiscal year, the amount appropriated for those state functions would be reduced uniformly for all of those state functions by a percentage that equals the percentage decline in revenue.