Dates of 2022 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, 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 2022 legislative sessions in all 50 states.

• The legislative map, which was updated weekly, shows what states adjourned, were 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[edit]

The legislative map below shows 2022 state legislative session information. States with full-time legislators may meet throughout the year after adjourning their regularly scheduled sessions. The map was updated every Friday with information gathered by MultiState and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

State legislative sessions[edit]

The state legislative session table below breaks down the start and end date of a state's 2022 legislative session, the length of the session, and also covers any special sessions that were called. The table was updated weekly to reflect any notable events that occurred in a state's session. Information was gathered from MultiState and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Key:

States[edit]

2022 state legislative sessions
State	Start date	End date (projected)	Session length limit[3]	Special sessions/Other sessions
a Alabama	January 11, 2022	April 7, 2022	30 legislative days in 105 calendar days
a Alaska	January 18, 2022	May 18, 2022	90 calendar days
a Arizona	January 10, 2022	June 25, 2022	Saturday of the last week in which the 100th calendar day falls
a Arkansas	February 14, 2022	March 15, 2022	Odd-numbered years - 60 days Even-numbered years - 30 days	Special session started on August 9, 2022 until August 11, 2022
a California*[4]	January 3, 2022	August 31, 2022	Constitution: Even-numbered years - Nov. 30 Odd-numbered years - None Chamber Rule: Even-numbered years - Aug. 31 Odd-numbered years - Sept. 12	Special session started on December 5, 2022 until March 27, 2023.
a Colorado	January 12, 2022	May 11, 2022	120 calendar days
a Connecticut	February 9, 2022	May 4, 2022	Odd: Wednesday after the first Monday in June; Even: Wednesday after the first Monday in May	Special session held from November 28, 2022, to November 29, 2022.
a Delaware	January 11, 2022	June 30, 2022	June 30
a Florida	January 11, 2022	March 14, 2022	60 calendar days	Special session from April 19, 2022, to April 22, 2022, special session started on May 23, 2022. Special session started on December 12, 2022, to December 14, 2022.
a Georgia	January 10, 2022	April 4, 2022	40 legislative days
a Hawaii	January 19, 2022	May 5, 2022	60 legislative days
a Idaho	January 10, 2022	March 31, 2022	None	Special session was on September 1, 2022. Organizational session for 2023 on December 1, 2022.
a Illinois*[4]	January 5, 2022	April 9, 2022	None	Veto session from November 15, 2022, to December 1, 2022. Lame duck session from January 4, 2023 to January 10, 2023.
a Indiana	January 4, 2022	March 8, 2022	Odd-numbered years - 61 days (April 29) Even-numbered years - 30 days (March 14)	Special session started on July 25, 2022, until August 5, 2022. The 2023 Organization Day was held on November 22, 2022.
a Iowa	January 10, 2022	May 24, 2022	Odd-numbered years - 110 days Even-numbered years - 100 days
a Kansas	January 10, 2022	May 23, 2022	None (odd), 90 days (even)
a Kentucky	January 4, 2022	April 14, 2022	Odd-numbered years - 30 legislative days or March 30 Even-numbered years - 60 legislative days or April 15	Special session convened August 24, 2022 until August 26, 2022.
a Louisiana	March 14, 2022	June 6, 2022	Even-numbered years - 60 legislative days in 85 calendar days Odd-numbered years - 45 legislative days in 60 calendar days	Special session from February 1, 2022, to February 18, 2022. Special session convened June 15, 2022 until June 18, 2022.
a Maine	January 5, 2022	May 9, 2022	Odd: 3rd Wed in June; Even: 3rd Wed in April
a Maryland	January 12, 2022	April 11, 2022	90 calendar days
a Massachusetts*[4]	January 5, 2022	August 1, 2022	Odd: 3rd Wed in November; Even: July 31	Informal session started on August 1, 2022 until January 3, 2023
a Michigan*[4]	January 12, 2022	December 28, 2022	None
a Minnesota	January 31, 2022	May 23, 2022	120 legislative days in 2 years, or the 1st Monday after the 3rd Saturday in May each year
a Mississippi	January 4, 2022	April 5, 2022	90 calendar days; except after a gubernatorial election then 125 days	Special session was on November 2, 2022
a Missouri	January 5, 2022	May 13, 2022	May 30	Veto and special session from September 14, 2022 to October 4, 2022.
a Montana	No regular legislative session	No regular legislative session	90 legislative days in two years
a Nebraska	January 5, 2022	April 20, 2022	Odd-numbered years - 90 legislative days Even-numbered years - 60 days
a Nevada	No regular legislative session	No regular legislative session	120 calendar days in two years
a New Hampshire	January 5, 2022	May 26, 2022	45 legislative days or July 1	Veto session was on September 15, 2022 .
a New Jersey*[4]	January 11, 2022	December 31, 2022	None	In recess July 1, 2022, to September 6, 2022.
a New Mexico	January 18, 2022	February 17, 2022	Odd-numbered years - 60 days Even-numbered years - 30 days	Special session was on April 5, 2022
a New York*[4]	January 5, 2022	June 4, 2022	None	Special session was on June 30, 2022. Special session was on December 22, 2022.
a North Carolina	May 18, 2022	July 1, 2022	None	Reconvenes once per month from July 26, 2022 to December 31, 2022 for vetoes.
a North Dakota	No regular legislative session	No regular legislative session	80 legislative days in two years
a Ohio*[4]	January 19, 2022	December 15, 2022	None	Summer recess from June 2, 2022, to September 13, 2022.
a Oklahoma	February 7, 2022	May 27, 2022	Last Friday in May	Special session was on May 18, 2022, and from June 13, 2022 to June 15, 2022. Reconvened from September 28, 2022 to October 14, 2022.
a Oregon	February 1, 2022	March 4, 2022	Odd-numbered years - 160 calendar days Even-numbered years - 35 calendar days
a Pennsylvania*[4]	January 4, 2022	November 30, 2022	None
a Rhode Island	January 4, 2022	June 23, 2022	None
a South Carolina	January 11, 2022	May 12, 2022	First Thurs in June	Budget sessions on June 15, 2022 and June 28, 2022. Special session was from August 30, 2022 to November 9, 2022. Special senate session started on September 6, 2022, until September 8, 2022. House organizational session meeting for 2023 was on December 6, 2022.
a South Dakota	January 11, 2022	March 28, 2022	40 legislative days
a Tennessee	January 11, 2022	April 28, 2022	90 legislative days
a Texas	No regular legislative session	No regular legislative session	140 calendar days in two years
a Utah	January 18, 2022	March 4, 2022	45 calendar days	Special session was on March 25, 2022
a Vermont	January 4, 2022	May 12, 2022	None
a Virginia	January 12, 2022	March 12, 2022	Odd numbered years - 30 calendar days Even-numbered years - 60 days	Special session started on April 4, 2022. Special session recess was held on June 1, 2022 and June 17, 2022. Special session was held on September 7, 2022.
a Washington	January 10, 2022	March 10, 2022	Odd numbered years - 105 calendar days Even-numbered years - 60 days
a West Virginia	January 12, 2022	March 12, 2022	60 calendar days	Special veto session April 24-26, 2022. Special session held July 25-29, 2022; reconvened and adjourned on September 13, 2022. Special session was held on September 12, 2022.
a Wisconsin*[4]	January 18, 2022	March 8, 2022	None	Special session was on June 22, 2022. Special session was on October 4, 2022.
a Wyoming	February 14, 2022	March 11, 2022	Odd-numbered years - 40 legislative days Even-numbered years - approximately 20 days

Methodology[edit]

Ballotpedia considered four sources when compiling the data in the map and chart above:

1. MultiState
2. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
3. FiscalNote
4. Statescape

Glossary of state legislative session terms[edit]

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[edit]

External links[edit]

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic
• National Conference of State Legislatures, Legislative Session Length
• MultiState, 2022 Legislative Session Dates
• National Conference of State Legislatures, 2022 legislative session calendar
• FiscalNote, The 2022 State Legislative Sessions Calendar
• Statescape, Session schedules

Footnotes[edit]

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