New York Consolidated Laws, Legislative Law - LEG § 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.