Here, from the Manual of Legislative Drafting, is a section about retroactive dates in state legislation. This is as good an explanation as any about why the plan by Gov. Mike Dunleavy to shut down most of state government July 1 is a crisis of his own making.

He wants a bigger Permanent Fund dividend and is using the effective date flap, created by House Republicans, as an excuse. Rather than sign the budget and keep the state operating, which someone could challenge in court, Dunleavy is refusing to sign the budget and suing the lawyers for the Legislature.

The Dunleavy shutdown scheme is foolish and unnecessary.