Dates of 2024 state legislative sessions
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Each state has its own legislature. The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution declares that any power not already given to the federal government is reserved to the states and the people.[1] State governments across the country use this authority to hold legislative sessions where a state's elected representatives meet for a period of time to draft and vote on legislation and set state policies on issues such as taxation, education, and government spending. The different types of legislation passed by a legislature may include resolutions, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, and bills that become law.
Forty-six state legislatures hold regular sessions annually. The other four states—Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas—meet in odd-numbered years. The length of a session may be set by a state's constitution, a statute, or by the legislature and varies among the states. Special or extraordinary sessions may also be called by a state's governor or legislature over a specific subject matter during or after a regular session.
Ten state legislatures have full-time legislators, meaning the legislature meets throughout the year. All other legislators are considered part-time because they only meet for a portion of the year.[2]
This page gives information on the 2024 legislative sessions in all 50 states.
- The legislative map, which is updated weekly, shows what states have not yet convened, have adjourned, are in regular session, or were special session.
- The session table breaks down the start and end date of a state's legislative session, the length of the session, special sessions, and trifecta status.
- The methodology Ballotpedia used to assemble the map and chart.
- A glossary of terms specific to legislative sessions.
Map of legislative sessions
The legislative map below shows 2024 state legislative session information. States with full-time legislators may meet throughout the year after adjourning their regularly scheduled sessions. The map is updated every Friday with information gathered by MultiState and the National Conference of State Legislatures.
State legislative sessions
The state legislative session table below breaks down the start and end date of a state's 2024 legislative session, the length of the session, and also covers any special sessions that have been called. The end date for a state's session is projected since these dates tend to change. The table is updated weekly to reflect any notable events that occur in a state's session. Information was gathered from MultiState and the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Key:
= Not yet convened
= State's session adjourned
= State in regular session
= State in special session
= No regular session scheduled
= This state's session is not a regular or special session.
- (*) - This state has full-time legislators.
- (**) - This state did not adjourn on designated dates due to unfinished business.
States
| 2024 state legislative sessions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Start date | End date (projected) | Session length limit[3] | Special sessions/Other sessions |
| February 6, 2024 | May 14, 2024 | 30 legislative days in 105 calendar days | ||
| January 16, 2024 | May 15, 2024 | 90 calendar days | ||
| January 8, 2024 | May 31, 2024 | Saturday of the last week in which the 100th calendar day falls | ||
| April 10, 2024 | May 9, 2024 | Odd-numbered years - 60 days Even-numbered years - 30 days |
||
| January 3, 2024 | August 31, 2024 | Constitution: Even-numbered years - Nov. 30 Odd-numbered years - None Chamber Rule: Even-numbered years - Aug. 31 Odd-numbered years - Sept. 12 |
||
| January 10, 2024 | May 8, 2024 | 120 calendar days | ||
| February 7, 2024 | May 8, 2024 | Odd: Wednesday after the first Monday in June; Even: Wednesday after the first Monday in May | ||
| January 9, 2024 | June 30, 2024 | June 30 | ||
| January 9, 2024 | March 8, 2024 | 60 calendar days | ||
| January 8, 2024 | March 28, 2024 | 40 legislative days | ||
| January 17, 2024 | May 3, 2024 | 60 legislative days | ||
| January 8, 2024 | April 10, 2024 | None | ||
| January 16, 2024 | May 29, 2024 | None | ||
| January 8, 2024 | March 8, 2024 | Odd-numbered years - 61 days (April 29) Even-numbered years - 30 days (March 14) |
||
| January 8, 2024 | April 20, 2024 | Odd-numbered years - 110 days Even-numbered years - 100 days |
||
| January 8, 2024 | April 30, 2024 | None (odd), 90 days (even) | First adjournment began on April 5, 2024; recess session from April 6, 2024 to April 28, 2024; veto session began on April 25, 2024. | |
| January 2, 2024 | April 15, 2024 | Odd-numbered years - 30 legislative days or March 30 Even-numbered years - 60 legislative days or April 15 |
Veto recess from March 29, 2024 to April 9, 2024. | |
| March 11, 2024 | June 3, 2024 | Even-numbered years - 60 legislative days in 85 calendar days Odd-numbered years - 45 legislative days in 60 calendar days |
Special session was from January 15, 2024 to January 23, 2024. Special session was from February 19, 2024 to February 29, 2024. | |
| January 3, 2024 | April 17, 2024 | Odd: 3rd Wed in June; Even: 3rd Wed in April | Regular session ended on April 17, 2024. The legislature was in special session until May 10, 2024 (veto session). | |
| January 10, 2024 | April 8, 2024 | 90 calendar days | ||
| January 3, 2024 | July 31, 2024 | Odd: 3rd Wed in November; Even: July 31 | Formal session ends on July 31, 2024. Informal session is from August 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024. | |
| January 10, 2024 | December 31, 2024 | None | ||
| February 12, 2024 | May 20, 2024 | 120 legislative days in 2 years, or the 1st Monday after the 3rd Saturday in May each year | ||
| January 2, 2024 | May 14, 2024 | 90 calendar days; except after a gubernatorial election then 125 days | Special sessions were on January 19, 2024, and January 25, 2024. | |
| January 3, 2024 | May 17, 2024 | May 30 | Veto session is September 11, 2024. | |
| No regular legislative session | No regular legislative session | 90 legislative days in two years | ||
| January 3, 2024 | April 18, 2024 | Odd-numbered years - 90 legislative days Even-numbered years - 60 days |
Special session TBA | |
| No regular legislative session | No regular legislative session | 120 calendar days in two years | ||
| January 3, 2024 | June 28, 2024 | 45 legislative days or July 1 | ||
| January 9, 2024 | December 31, 2024 | None | ||
| January 16, 2024 | February 15, 2024 | Odd-numbered years - 60 days Even-numbered years - 30 days |
Special session is July 18, 2024. | |
| January 3, 2024 | June 8, 2024 | None | ||
| April 24, 2024 | July 31, 2024 | None | ||
| No regular legislative session | No regular legislative session | 80 legislative days in two years | ||
| January 2, 2024 | December 31, 2024 | None | A special session on elections commenced on May 28, 2024. | |
| February 5, 2024 | May 30, 2024 | Last Friday in May | Special session was on January 29, 2024. | |
| February 5, 2024 | March 7, 2024 | Odd-numbered years - 160 calendar days Even-numbered years - 35 calendar days |
||
| January 2, 2024 | November 30, 2024 | None | ||
| January 2, 2024 | June 30, 2024 | None | ||
| January 9, 2024 | May 9, 2024 | First Thurs in June | Veto session convene on June 5, 2024, June 18, 2024, June 25, 2024. Special Session started on June 5, 2024. | |
| January 9, 2024 | March 26, 2024 | 40 legislative days | Veto recess was from March 8, 2024 to March 24, 2024. | |
| January 9, 2024 | April 25, 2024 | 90 legislative days | ||
| No regular legislative session | No regular legislative session | 140 calendar days in two years | ||
| January 16, 2024 | March 1, 2024 | 45 calendar days | ||
| January 3, 2024 | May 11, 2024 | None | Veto session is June 17, 2024. | |
| January 10, 2024 | March 9, 2024 | Odd numbered years - 30 calendar days Even-numbered years - 60 days |
Veto session was on April 17, 2024. Special session was May 13, 2024. | |
| January 8, 2024 | March 7, 2024 | Odd numbered years - 105 calendar days Even-numbered years - 60 days |
||
| January 10, 2024 | March 9, 2024 | 60 calendar days | ||
| January 16, 2024 | March 12, 2024 | None | Special session expected in May. | |
| February 12, 2024 | March 8, 2024 | Odd-numbered years - 40 legislative days Even-numbered years - approximately 20 days |
||
Methodology
Ballotpedia considered four sources when compiling the data in the map and chart above:
The four sites each contain a mix of projected end dates for the legislative sessions. Ballotpedia used a projected end date if three sites had the same date. If two websites had the same date but two had a different matching date, Ballotpedia used the date provided by the NCSL.
Glossary of state legislative session terms
Adjourn:
- Termination of a legislative session. The date and time of the next meeting is set before adjournment.[5]
Informal session:
- A type of session called by some states where no attendance is taken and only a few members attend the session. These sessions address day-to-day business and non-controversial bills. The bills do not require debate or a roll-call vote and must be passed unanimously. If one member objects, the measure is blocked.
Lame-duck session:
- A legislative session where its members meet after their successors are elected.[5]
Organizational session:
- The first day that legislators take office. The members are sworn in and new leadership is chosen.[5]
Recess:
- A temporary pause for a period of time in a legislative session.[5]
Regular session:
- A state's legislative members meet for a period of time regularly scheduled by a state's constitution, a statute, or by the legislature where they write and pass bills. Forty-six state legislatures hold regular sessions annually. Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas only meet in odd-numbered years.[5]
Skeleton session:
- In a typical skeleton session, a clerk, a presiding officer, and another legislative member are the only people present. The presiding officer will convene the session day and adjourn it minutes later.
Sine die:
- Final adjournment of a legislative session. It is Latin for "without a day."[5]
Special session:
- A special meeting of the legislature called by the governor or by the legislature over a specific subject matter. This is also called an extraordinary session.[5]
Trifecta:
- A trifecta occurs when one political party holds the governorship, a majority in the state senate, and a majority in the state house in a state's government.
Veto session:
- Legislatures may hold a veto session where the members consider all bills vetoed by the governor.[5]
See also
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- National Conference of State Legislatures, Legislative Session Length
- National Conference of State Legislatures, 2024 legislative session calendar
- FiscalNote, The 2024 State Legislative Sessions Calendar
- MultiState, 2024 Legislative Session Dates
- Statescape, Session schedules
Footnotes
- ↑ Find Law, "Tenth Amendment - U.S. Constitution," accessed November 8, 2018
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Legislative session length," accessed March 5, 2019
- ↑ NCSL, "Legislative Session Lengths," accessed December 14, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 This state has full-time legislators. The legislature may meet throughout the year after adjourning their regularly scheduled sessions.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 National Conference of State Legislatures, "GLOSSARY OF LEGISLATIVE TERMS," accessed May 19, 2017
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