Jarvis V. Cory

In these consolidated cases petitioners Jarvis and Brodty seek writs of mandate declaring a salary appropriation bill unconstitutional and ordering respondent State Controller (Cory) to refrain from expending any funds pursuant to the bill. We must decide whether Senate Bill No. 91, 1979 Regular Session (SB 91), which awards a lump sum payment to certain state employees based on work already performed, violates provisions of the California Constitution that preclude the Legislature from enacting retroactive "extra compensation" for state employees (art. IV, § 17) and from sending an appropriation that augments a future budget act to the Governor before that act takes effect (art. IV, § 12, subd. (c)).