▁ ▁Ext ending ▁legisl ative ▁sessions ▁A ▁constitution ▁am end ment ▁passed ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁author ized ▁the ▁return ▁to ▁annual ▁sessions ▁of ▁Indiana ▁General ▁Assembly ; ▁however , ▁the ▁governor ▁was ▁emp ower ed ▁to ▁call ▁special ▁sessions ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁legisl ature ▁if ▁necessary . ▁The ▁long ▁session , ▁which ▁occurred ▁the ▁year ▁after ▁an ▁election , ▁was ▁left ▁the ▁same ▁( 6 1 ▁days ); ▁however , ▁the ▁shorter ▁legisl ative ▁session ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁was ▁author ized ▁to ▁meet ▁for ▁a ▁ 3 0 - day ▁period . ▁( The ▁initial ▁constitution ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁author ized ▁b ian n ual ▁sessions ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁Assembly ▁to ▁meet ▁for ▁ 6 1 ▁consecutive ▁days ; ▁special ▁sessions ▁were ▁limited ▁to ▁ 4 0 ▁days .) ▁ ▁Constitution al ▁dec isions ▁ ▁S la very ▁and ▁indent ured ▁serv itude ▁The ▁un anim ous ▁Indiana ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁decision ▁in ▁L ass elle ▁v . ▁State ▁( 1 8 2 0 ) ▁u ph eld ▁Article ▁ 8 ▁of ▁the ▁Indiana ▁constitution ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 6 , ▁which ▁prohib ited ▁sla very ▁in ▁the ▁state , ▁by ▁r uling ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁an ▁ens la ved ▁woman ▁who ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁Pol ly ▁Str ong ▁and ▁grant ing ▁her ▁freedom . ▁In ▁re ▁Clark ▁( 1 8 2 1 ), ▁the ▁state ▁supre me ▁court ▁once ▁again ▁u ph eld ▁Article ▁ 8 ▁of ▁the ▁state ' s ▁ 1 8 1