Legislative Session Length
Legislative session length may be unrestricted, or it may be limited. Session length limitations are set in a variety of ways. The limits may be found in constitution, statute or chamber rule. They also may set indirectly by restricting the number of days for which a legislator receives compensation, per diem or mileage reimbursement.
In the early 1960s, 17 states did not place restrictions on the length of their legislative sessions. In another 10 states, the limits were indirect. Several states increased their session length. These were Colorado (from 120 to 160); Georgia (from 80 to 85); Kansas (from 90 to 120); Minnesota (from 90 to 120); and South Dakota (from 60 to 75).
Throughout the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s, session limitations became more defined. Fewer states had unrestricted sessions, and the number of states with indirect session limits declined.
Since the late 1980s, several session lengths were shortened. Colorado's session was cut to 120 days in 1988. In 1992, Louisiana changed its constitution to shorten and limit the scope of its even-year session. In 1998, the citizens of Nevada adopted a constitutional amendment that restricts the legislative session to 120 days. In 2002, an amendment to the Louisiana Constitution changed the timing of its general and fiscal sessions and adjusted the length of the fiscal session; the changes went into effect January 2004. In 2006, Alaska voters passed an initiative establishing a 90 day session in statute, which took effect in 2008.
In November 2008, however, South Dakota voters approved a constitutional amendment that lengthened legislative sessions. The amendment equalized the length of session at 40 legislative days each year. Previously, session length was 40 legislative days in odd-numbered years, and 35 legislative days in even-numbered years.
Currently, only 11 states do not place a limit on the length of regular session. In the remaining 39, the limits are set by constitution, statute, chamber rule or indirect method.
|
State
|
Current Session Length Limit
|
Method of Setting
|
|
Alabama
|
30 L in 105 C
|
Statute
|
|
Alaska
|
90 C
|
Statute
|
|
Arizona
|
Sat of week in which 100th C falls
|
Chamber rule
|
|
Arkansas
|
Odd-60 C
Even-30 C
|
Constitution
|
|
California
|
Odd-None
Even-Nov 30
Odd-Sept 12
Even-Aug 31
|
Constitution
Chamber Rule
|
|
Colorado
|
120 C
|
Constitution
|
|
Connecticut
|
Odd-Wed after 1st Mon in June
Even- Wed after 1st Mon in May
|
Constitution
|
|
Delaware
|
June 30
|
Constitution
|
|
Florida
|
60 C
|
Constitution
|
|
Georgia
|
40 L
|
Constitution
|
|
Hawaii
|
60 L
|
Constitution
|
|
Idaho
|
None
|
Not applicable
|
|
Illinois
|
None
|
Not applicable
|
|
Indiana
|
Odd-Apr 29
Even-Mar 14
|
Statute
|
|
Iowa
|
Odd-110 C
Even-100 C
|
Indirect
|
|
Kansas
|
Odd-None
Even-90 C
|
Constitution
|
|
Kentucky
|
Odd: 30 L or Mar 30
Even:60 L or Apr 15
|
Constitution
|
|
Louisiana
|
Odd-45 L in 60 C
Even-60 L in 85 C
|
Constitution
|
|
Maine
|
Odd-3rd Wed in June
Even-3rd Wed in Apr
|
Statute
|
|
Maryland
|
90 C
|
Constitution
|
|
Massachusetts
|
Formal sessions:
Odd-3rd Wed in November
Even-July 31
Informal sessions: None
|
Chamber rule
|
|
Michigan
|
None
|
Not applicable
|
|
Minnesota
|
120 L total within biennium or 1st Mon after 3rd Sat in May each year
|
Constitution
|
|
Mississippi
|
90 C except year after gubernatorial election,
then 125 C
|
Constitution
|
|
Missouri
|
May 30
|
Constitution
|
|
Montana
|
Biennial session; 90 L
|
Constitution
|
|
Nebraska
|
Odd-90 L
Even-60 L
|
Constitution
|
|
Nevada
|
Biennial session ; 120 C
|
Constitution
|
|
New Hampshire
|
45 L or July 1
|
Indirect
|
|
New Jersey
|
None
|
Not applicable
|
|
New Mexico
|
Odd-60 C
Even-30 C
|
Constitution
|
|
New York
|
None
|
Not applicable
|
|
North Carolina
|
None
|
Not applicable
|
|
North Dakota
|
Biennial session ; 80 L
|
Constitution
|
|
Ohio
|
None
|
Not applicable
|
|
Oklahoma
|
Last Fri in May
|
Constitution
|
|
Oregon
|
Biennial session ; None
|
Not applicable
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
None
|
Not applicable
|
|
Rhode Island
|
None
|
Not applicable
|
|
South Carolina
|
1st Thurs in June
|
Statute
|
|
South Dakota
|
40 L
|
Constitution
|
|
Tennessee
|
90 L
|
Indirect
|
|
Texas
|
Biennial session ; 140 C
|
Constitution
|
|
Utah
|
45 C
|
Constitution
|
|
Vermont
|
None
|
|
|
Virginia
|
Odd-30 C
Even-60 C
|
Constitution
|
|
Washington
|
Odd-105 C
Even-60 C
|
Constitution
|
|
West Virginia
|
60 C
|
Constitution
|
|
Wisconsin
|
None
|
Not applicable
|
|
Wyoming
|
Odd-40 L
Even-20 L
|
Constitution
|
Key:
C = calendar day
L = legislative day (that is, a day on which a floor session is held)
|