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Dates of 2021 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 2021 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

The legislative map below shows 2021 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

The state legislative session table below breaks down the start and end date of a state's 2021 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:

  • Not yet conveneda = Not yet convened
  • State's session adjourneda = State's session adjourned
  • State in regular sessiona = State in regular session
  • State in special sessiona = State in special session
  • No regular session scheduleda = No regular session scheduled
  • This state's session is not a regular or special session.a = 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

2021 state legislative sessions
State Start date End date (projected) Session length limit[3] Special sessions/Other sessions
State's session adjourneda Alabama February 2, 2021 May 17, 2021 30 legislative days in 105 calendar days Special session convened September 27, 2021, through October 1, 2021. Special session convened October 28, 2021, through November 4, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Alaska January 19, 2021 May 19, 2021 90 calendar days Special session convened October 4, 2021, through November 2, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Arizona January 11, 2021 June 30, 2021 Saturday of the last week in which the 100th calendar day falls
State's session adjourneda Arkansas January 11, 2021 October 15, 2021 Odd-numbered years - 60 days
Even-numbered years - 30 days 		Regular session adjourned on April 27, 2021, and resumed on September 29, 2021. The session concluded on October 15, 2021.
State's session adjourneda California*[4] December 7, 2020 September 10, 2021 Constitution: Even-numbered years - Nov. 30
Odd-numbered years - None
Chamber Rule: Even-numbered years - Aug. 31
Odd-numbered years - Sept. 12
State's session adjourneda Colorado January 13, 2021 June 8, 2021 120 calendar days Session paused due to COVID-19; reconvened February 16, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Connecticut January 6, 2021 June 9, 2021 Odd: Wednesday after the first Monday in June; Even: Wednesday after the first Monday in May
State's session adjourneda Delaware January 12, 2021 June 30, 2021 June 30 Special session convened on November 1, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Florida March 2, 2021 April 30, 2021 60 calendar days Special session scheduled for November 15, 2021, through November 21, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Georgia January 11, 2021 March 31, 2021 40 legislative days Special session convened from November 3, 2021, through November 22, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Hawaii January 20, 2021 April 29, 2021 60 legislative days
State's session adjourneda Idaho January 11, 2021 November 17, 2021 None The House reconvened on November 15, 2021, and adjourned on November 17, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Illinois*[4] January 13, 2021 June 1, 2021 None Veto session convened October 19, 2021, through October 28, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Indiana January 4, 2021 November 15, 2021 Odd-numbered years - 61 days (April 29)
Even-numbered years - 30 days (March 14) 		Regular session originally scheduled to adjourn on April 22, 2021. Reconvened September 20, 2021, through October 1, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Iowa January 11, 2021 May 19, 2021 Odd-numbered years - 110 days
Even-numbered years - 100 days 		Special session convened on October 28, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Kansas January 11, 2021 May 26, 2021 None (odd), 90 days (even)
State's session adjourneda Kentucky January 5, 2021 March 30, 2021 Odd-numbered years - 30 legislative days or March 30
Even-numbered years - 60 legislative days or April 15
State's session adjourneda Louisiana April 12, 2021 June 10, 2021 Even-numbered years - 60 legislative days in 85 calendar days
Odd-numbered years - 45 legislative days in 60 calendar days
State's session adjourneda Maine December 2, 2020 March 30, 2021 Odd: 3rd Wed in June; Even: 3rd Wed in April Special session convened April 28, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Maryland January 13, 2021 April 12, 2021 90 calendar days Special session convened from December 6, 2021, to December 9, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Massachusetts*[4] January 6, 2021 January 4, 2022 Odd: 3rd Wed in November; Even: July 31
State's session adjourneda Michigan*[4] January 13, 2021 December 31, 2021 None
State's session adjourneda Minnesota January 5, 2021 May 17, 2021 120 legislative days in 2 years, or the 1st Monday after the 3rd Saturday in May each year Special session convened June 14, 2021, to July 7, 2021. Special session convened September 7, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Mississippi January 5, 2021 April 1, 2021 90 calendar days; except after a gubernatorial election then 125 days
State's session adjourneda Missouri January 6, 2021 May 14, 2021 May 30 Special session convened June 23, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Montana January 4, 2021 April 29, 2021 90 legislative days in two years
State's session adjourneda Nebraska January 6, 2021 May 27, 2021 Odd-numbered years - 90 legislative days
Even-numbered years - 60 days 		Special session convened September 13, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Nevada February 1, 2021 June 1, 2021 120 calendar days in two years
State's session adjourneda New Hampshire January 6, 2021 June 24, 2021 45 legislative days or July 1
State's session adjourneda New Jersey*[4] January 4, 2021 January 11, 2022 None
State's session adjourneda New Mexico January 19, 2021 March 20, 2021 Odd-numbered years - 60 days
Even-numbered years - 30 days 		Special session convened December 6, 2021, and adjourned on December 17, 2021.
State's session adjourneda New York*[4] January 6, 2021 June 10, 2021 None
State's session adjourneda North Carolina January 13, 2021 December 30, 2021 None Regular session originally scheduled to conclude on October 29, 2021.
State's session adjourneda North Dakota January 5, 2021 April 29, 2021 80 legislative days in two years Special session convened November 8, 2021, and adjourned on November 12, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Ohio*[4] January 4, 2021 December 31, 2021 None
State's session adjourneda Oklahoma February 1, 2021 May 27, 2021 Last Friday in May Special session convened from November 15, 2021, to November 26, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Oregon January 21, 2021 June 26, 2021 Odd-numbered years - 160 calendar days
Even-numbered years - 35 calendar days 		Session start pushed to January 21, 2021, due to security concerns. Special session convened from September 20, 2021, to September 27, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Pennsylvania*[4] January 5, 2021 December 31, 2021 None
State's session adjourneda Rhode Island January 5, 2021 July 1, 2021 None
State's session adjourneda South Carolina January 12, 2021 May 13, 2021 First Thurs in June Special session convened June 8, 2021, through June 29, 2021. Special session—House convened December 1, 2021, Senate convened December 6, 2021.
State's session adjourneda South Dakota January 12, 2021 March 29, 2021 40 legislative days Special session convened on November 9, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Tennessee January 12, 2021 May 5, 2021 90 legislative days Special session convened January 19, 2021, to January 22, 2021. Special session convened October 27, 2021, to October 30, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Texas January 12, 2021 May 31, 2021 140 calendar days in two years Special session convened from September 20, 2021, to October 19, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Utah January 19, 2021 March 5, 2021 45 calendar days Special session convened November 9, 2021, and adjourned November 12, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Vermont January 6, 2021 May 21, 2021 None
State's session adjourneda Virginia January 13, 2021 February 8, 2021 Odd numbered years - 30 calendar days
Even-numbered years - 60 days 		Special session held from February 10, 2021, to March 1, 2021. A veto session was scheduled for April 7, 2021. Special session convened from August 2, 2021, to August 10, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Washington January 11, 2021 April 25, 2021 Odd numbered years - 105 calendar days
Even-numbered years - 60 days
State's session adjourneda West Virginia February 10, 2021 April 10, 2021 60 calendar days Special session convened October 11, 2021, to October 20, 2021.
State's session adjourneda Wisconsin*[4] January 4, 2021 December 31, 2021 None
State's session adjourneda Wyoming January 12, 2021 April 7, 2021 Odd-numbered years - 40 legislative days
Even-numbered years - approximately 20 days 		Session paused until virtual session from January 27, 2021, to February 5, 2021, due to COVID-19. Scheduled to reconvene in-person on March 1, 2021. Special session convened from October 26, 2021, to November 3, 2021.

Methodology

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

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


The four sites each contained 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


Footnotes

  1. ↑ Find Law, "Tenth Amendment - U.S. Constitution," accessed November 8, 2018
  2. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Legislative session length," accessed March 5, 2019
  3. ↑ NCSL, "Legislative Session Lengths," accessed December 14, 2014
  4. ↑ 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. ↑ 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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