The Text

At the session immediately following the adoption of this constitution, the legislature shall provide by law for the appropriate assignment, to take effect not earlier than the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred and seventeen, of all the civil administrative and executive functions of the state government, except those of assistants in the office of the governor, to the several departments in this article provided. Subject to the limitations contained in this constitution the legislature may from time to time assign by law new powers and functions to departments, officers, boards or commissions continued or created under this constitution, and increase, modify or diminish their powers and functions. No specific grant of power herein to a department shall prevent the legislature from conferring additional powers upon such department. No new departments shall be created hereafter. Any bureau, board, commission or office hereafter created except assistants in the office of the governor shall be placed in one of the departments enumerated in this article. The elective state officers in office at the time this constitution takes effect shall continue in office until the end of the terms for which they were elected. Pending the assignment of the civil administrative and executive functions by the legislature pursuant to the direction of this section, the powers and duties of the several departments, boards, commissions and offices now existing are continued. Subject to the power of the legislature to reduce the number of officers, when the powers and duties of any existing office are assigned to any department, the officers exercising such powers shall continue in office in such department, and their term of office shall not be shortened by such assignment.