Dates of 2018 state legislative sessions

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Each state has its own legislature.^[1] 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.^[2] 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 which means that the legislature will meet throughout the year. All other legislators are considered part-time because they only meet for a portion of the year.^[3]

This page gives information on the 2018 legislative sessions in all 50 states. The legislative map, which was updated weekly, showed what states adjourned, were in regular session, special session, or recess. The session table breaks down the start and end date of a state's legislative session, the length of the session, and special sessions. A glossary of terms specific to legislative sessions can also be found below the table.

Map of legislative sessions

The legislative map below shows 2018 state legislative session information. States with full-time legislators may have met throughout the year after adjourning their regularly scheduled sessions. The map was updated every Friday with information gathered by StateNet 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 2018 legislative session, the length of the session, and also covered any special sessions that have been called. The table was updated weekly to reflect any notable events that occurred in a state's session. Information was gathered from StateNet and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Key:

States

2018 state legislative sessions
State	Start date	End date (projected)	Session length limit[4]	Special sessions/Other sessions
a Alabama	January 9, 2018	March 29, 2018	30 legislative days in 105 calendar days
a Alaska	January 16, 2018	May 13, 2018	90 calendar days
a Arizona	January 8, 2018	May 4, 2018	Saturday of the last week in which the 100th calendar day falls
a Arkansas	February 12, 2018	March 13, 2018	Odd-numbered years - 60 days Even-numbered years - 30 days	Special session from March 13 to March 15
a California*[5]	January 3, 2018	August 31, 2018	Constitution: Even-numbered years - Nov. 30 Odd-numbered years - None Chamber Rule: Even-numbered years - Aug. 31 Odd-numbered years - Sept. 12
a Colorado	January 10, 2018	May 9, 2018	120 calendar days
a Connecticut	February 7, 2018	May 9, 2018	Odd: Wednesday after the first Monday in June; Even: Wednesday after the first Monday in May
a Delaware	January 9, 2018	June 30, 2018	June 30	The state Senate convened a special session from July 1 to November 6
a Florida	January 9, 2018	March 11, 2018	60 calendar days
a Georgia	January 8, 2018	March 29, 2018	40 legislative days	Special session from November 13 to November 17
a Hawaii	January 17, 2018	May 3, 2018	60 legislative days
a Idaho	January 8, 2018	March 28, 2018	None
a Illinois*[5]	January 8, 2018	May 31, 2018	None
a Indiana	January 2, 2018	March 16, 2018	Odd-numbered years - 61 days (April 29) Even-numbered years - 30 days (March 14)	One-day special session on May 14
a Iowa	January 8, 2018	May 5, 2018	Odd-numbered years - 110 days Even-numbered years - 100 days
a Kansas	January 8, 2018	April 7, 2018	None (odd), 90 days (even)	Kansas was in veto session until May 4.[6]
a Kentucky	January 2, 2018	April 14, 2018	Odd-numbered years - 30 legislative days or March 30 Even-numbered years - 60 legislative days or April 15
a Louisiana	March 12, 2018	May 18, 2018	Even-numbered years - 60 legislative days in 85 calendar days Odd-numbered years - 45 legislative days in 60 calendar days	First special session from February 19 to March 5 Second special session from May 22 to June 4 Third special session from June 18 to June 24
a Maine	January 3, 2018	May 2, 2018**	Odd: 3rd Wed in June; Even: 3rd Wed in April	Special session from June 19 to September 13
a Maryland	January 10, 2018	April 9, 2018	90 calendar days
a Massachusetts*[5]	January 3, 2018	July 31, 2018 (formal) December 31, 2018 (informal)	Odd: 3rd Wed in November; Even: July 31
a Michigan*[5]	January 10, 2018	December 31, 2018	None
a Minnesota	February 20, 2018	May 21, 2018	120 legislative days in 2 years, or the 1st Monday after the 3rd Saturday in May each year
a Mississippi	January 2, 2018	March 28, 2018	90 calendar days; except after a gubernatorial election then 125 days	Special session from August 23 to August 29
a Missouri	January 3, 2018	May 18, 2018	May 30	First special session: May 18 to June 11 Second special session: September 10 to September 19
a Montana	No regular session	No regular session	90 legislative days in two years
a Nebraska	January 3, 2018	April 18, 2018	Odd-numbered years - 90 legislative days Even-numbered years - 60 days
a Nevada	No regular session	No regular session	120 calendar days in two years
a New Hampshire	January 3, 2018	June 30, 2018	45 legislative days or July 1
a New Jersey*[5]	January 9, 2018	January 8, 2019	None
a New Mexico	January 16, 2018	February 15, 2018	Odd-numbered years - 60 days Even-numbered years - 30 days
a New York*[5]	January 3, 2018	June 20, 2018	None
a North Carolina	January 10, 2018	December 27, 2018	None	First special session from July 24 to August 4 Second special session from August 24 to August 27 Third special session from October 2 to October 15 Regular session reconvened November 27
a North Dakota	No regular session	No regular session	80 legislative days in two years
a Ohio*[5]	January 2, 2018	December 31, 2018	None
a Oklahoma	February 5, 2018	May 3, 2018	Last Friday in May	Special session from December 18, 2017, to April 19, 2018
a Oregon	February 5, 2018	March 3, 2018	Odd-numbered years - 160 calendar days Even-numbered years - 35 calendar days	One-day special session on May 21
a Pennsylvania*[5]	January 2, 2018	November 30, 2018	None
a Rhode Island	January 2, 2018	June 25, 2018	None
a South Carolina	January 9, 2018	May 10, 2018	First Thurs in June
a South Dakota	January 9, 2018	March 26, 2018	40 legislative days	One-day special session on September 12
a Tennessee	January 9, 2018	April 27, 2018	90 legislative days
a Texas	No regular session	No regular session	140 calendar days in two years
a Utah	January 22, 2018	March 8, 2018	45 calendar days
a Vermont	January 3, 2018	May 13, 2018	None	Special session from May 23 to June 29
a Virginia	January 10, 2018	March 10, 2018	Odd numbered years - 30 calendar days Even-numbered years - 60 days	First special session from April 11 to May 30 Second special session from August 30 to November 30
a Washington	January 8, 2018	March 8, 2018	Odd numbered years - 105 calendar days Even-numbered years - 60 days
a West Virginia	January 10, 2018	March 10, 2018	60 calendar days	First special session from May 20 to May 21 Second special session from June 26 to October 15
a Wisconsin*[5]	January 16, 2018	March 22, 2018	None	First special sessions from January 1 to February 27 Second special session from March 15 to March 29 Third special session from November 12 to December 5
a Wyoming	February 12, 2018	March 15, 2018	Odd-numbered years - 40 legislative days Even-numbered years - approximately 20 days

Status of 2018 legislation

Click your state on the map below to navigate to relevant legislative information.

Glossary of state legislative session terms

Adjourn:

• Termination of a legislative session. The date and time of the next meeting is set before adjournment.^[7]

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.^[7]

Organizational session:

• The first day that legislators take office. The members are sworn in and new leadership is chosen.^[7]

Recess:

• A temporary pause for a period of time in a legislative session.^[7]

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.^[7]

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."^[7]

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.^[7]

Veto session:

• Legislatures may hold a veto session where the members consider all bills vetoed by the governor.^[7]

See also

• State Legislatures
• State legislative special elections, 2018
• State legislative elections, 2018
• State legislative elections, 2017
• State government trifectas
• Partisan composition of state legislatures
• Potential government shutdowns

External links

• MultiState - 2018 legislative session
• National Conference of State Legislatures
• StateNet - Daily Session Summary

Footnotes

v • e State legislatures Legislatures Alabama (H, S) · Alaska (H, S) · Arizona (H, S) · Arkansas (H, S) · California (A, S) · Colorado (H, S) · Connecticut (H, S) · Delaware (H, S) · Florida (H, S) · Georgia (H, S) · Hawaii (H, S) · Idaho (H, S) · Illinois (H, S) · Indiana (H, S) · Iowa (H, S) · Kansas (H, S) · Kentucky (H, S) · Louisiana (H, S) · Maine (H, S) · Maryland (H, S) · Massachusetts (H, S) · Michigan (H, S) · Minnesota (H, S) · Mississippi (H, S) · Missouri (H, S) · Montana (H, S) · Nebraska · Nevada (A, S) · New Hampshire (H, S) · New Jersey (GA, S) · New Mexico (H, S) · New York (A, S) · North Carolina (H, S) · North Dakota (H, S) · Ohio (H, S) · Oklahoma (H, S) · Oregon (H, S) · Pennsylvania (H, S) · Rhode Island (H, S) · South Carolina (H, S) · South Dakota (H, S) · Tennessee (H, S) · Texas (H, S) · Utah (H, S) · Vermont (H, S) · Virginia (H, S) · Washington (H, S) · West Virginia (H, S) · Wisconsin (A, S) · Wyoming (H, S) 2024 State legislative elections (2024) • State legislative special elections (2024) • Primary dates and filing requirements • 2024 Session Dates 2023 State legislative elections (2023) • State legislative special elections (2023) • Primary dates and filing requirements • 2023 Session Dates Historical elections 2022 •  2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 Features of state legislatures How vacancies are filled in state legislatures • States with a full-time legislature • State legislatures with term limits • Comparison of state legislative salaries • When state legislators assume office after a general election • Population represented by state legislators • State constitutional articles governing state legislatures • State legislative sessions • Resign-to-run law • State legislature candidate requirements by state • Official names of state legislatures • State legislative chambers that use multi-member districts • Factors Affecting Competitiveness in State Legislative Elections State senates Length of terms of state senators • State senators • Partisan composition of state senates • State senators sorted by year first elected State houses Length of terms of state representatives • State representatives • Partisan composition of state houses • State representatives sorted by year first elected Leadership positions President of the Senate • President Pro Tempore • Senate Majority Leader • Senate Minority Leader • House Majority Leader • House Minority Leader • State Speaker of the House