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Dates of 2026 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.

Nine 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 2026 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 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 2026 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 2026 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 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

2026 state legislative sessions
State Start date End date (projected) Session length limit[3] Special sessions/Other sessions
Not yet conveneda Alabama January 13, 2026 March 27, 2026 30 legislative days in 105 calendar days
Not yet conveneda Alaska January 20, 2026 May 20, 2026 90 calendar days
Not yet conveneda Arizona January 12, 2026 April 25, 2026 Saturday of the last week in which the 100th calendar day falls
Not yet conveneda Arkansas April 8, 2026 May 7, 2026 Odd-numbered years - 60 days
Even-numbered years - 30 days
Not yet conveneda California*[4] January 5, 2026 August 31, 2026 Constitution: Even-numbered years - Nov. 30
Odd-numbered years - None
Chamber Rule: Even-numbered years - Aug. 31
Odd-numbered years - Sept. 12
Not yet conveneda Colorado January 14, 2026 May 13, 2026 120 calendar days
Not yet conveneda Connecticut February 4, 2026 May 6, 2026 Odd: Wednesday after the first Monday in June; Even: Wednesday after the first Monday in May
Not yet conveneda Delaware January 13, 2026 June 30, 2026 June 30
Not yet conveneda Florida January 13, 2026 March 13, 2026 60 calendar days
Not yet conveneda Georgia January 12, 2026 April 6, 2026 40 legislative days
Not yet conveneda Hawaii January 21, 2026 May 7, 2026 60 legislative days
Not yet conveneda Idaho January 12, 2026 April 10, 2026 None
Not yet conveneda Illinois*[4] January 14, 2026 May 31, 2026 None
Not yet conveneda Indiana January 5, 2026 March 14, 2026 Odd-numbered years - 61 days (April 29)
Even-numbered years - 30 days (March 14)
Not yet conveneda Iowa January 12, 2026 April 21, 2026 Odd-numbered years - 110 days
Even-numbered years - 100 days
Not yet conveneda Kansas January 12, 2026 April 10, 2026 None (odd), 90 days (even)
Not yet conveneda Kentucky January 6, 2026 April 15, 2026 Odd-numbered years - 30 legislative days or March 30
Even-numbered years - 60 legislative days or April 15
Not yet conveneda Louisiana March 9, 2026 June 1, 2026 Even-numbered years - 60 legislative days in 85 calendar days
Odd-numbered years - 45 legislative days in 60 calendar days
Not yet conveneda Maine January 7, 2026 April 15, 2026 Odd: 3rd Wed in June; Even: 3rd Wed in April
Not yet conveneda Maryland January 14, 2026 April 13, 2026 90 calendar days
Not yet conveneda Massachusetts*[4] January 7, 2026 July 31, 2026 Odd: 3rd Wed in November; Even: July 31
Not yet conveneda Michigan*[4] January 14, 2026 December 31, 2026 None
Not yet conveneda Minnesota February 17, 2026 May 18, 2026 120 legislative days in 2 years, or the 1st Monday after the 3rd Saturday in May each year
Not yet conveneda Mississippi January 6, 2026 May 5, 2026 90 calendar days; except after a gubernatorial election then 125 days
Not yet conveneda Missouri January 7, 2026 May 15, 2026 May 30
Not yet conveneda Montana No regular legislative session No regular legislative session 90 legislative days in two years
Not yet conveneda Nebraska January 7, 2026 April 17, 2026 Odd-numbered years - 90 legislative days
Even-numbered years - 60 days
Not yet conveneda Nevada No regular legislative session No regular legislative session 120 calendar days in two years
Not yet conveneda New Hampshire January 7, 2026 June 30, 2026 45 legislative days or July 1
Not yet conveneda New Jersey*[4] January 13, 2026 December 31, 2026 None
Not yet conveneda New Mexico January 20, 2026 February 19, 2026 Odd-numbered years - 60 days
Even-numbered years - 30 days
Not yet conveneda New York*[4] January 7, 2026 June 10, 2026 None
Not yet conveneda North Carolina April 21, 2026 August 31, 2026 None
Not yet conveneda North Dakota No regular legislative session No regular legislative session 80 legislative days in two years
Not yet conveneda Ohio*[4] January 5, 2026 December 31, 2026 None
Not yet conveneda Oklahoma February 2, 2026 May 29, 2026 Last Friday in May
Not yet conveneda Oregon February 2, 2026 March 9, 2026 Odd-numbered years - 160 calendar days
Even-numbered years - 35 calendar days
Not yet conveneda Pennsylvania*[4] January 6, 2026 November 30, 3026 None
Not yet conveneda Rhode Island January 6, 2026 June 30, 2026 None
Not yet conveneda South Carolina January 13, 2026 May 7, 2026 First Thurs in June
Not yet conveneda South Dakota January 13, 2026 March 30, 2026 40 legislative days
Not yet conveneda Tennessee January 13, 2026 April 24, 2026 90 legislative days
Not yet conveneda Texas No regular legislative session No regular legislative session 140 calendar days in two years
Not yet conveneda Utah January 20, 2026 March 6, 2026 45 calendar days
Not yet conveneda Vermont January 6, 2026 May 8, 2026 None
Not yet conveneda Virginia January 14, 2026 March 14, 2026 Odd numbered years - 30 calendar days
Even-numbered years - 60 days
Not yet conveneda Washington January 12, 2026 March 12, 2026 Odd numbered years - 105 calendar days
Even-numbered years - 60 days
Not yet conveneda West Virginia January 14, 2026 March 14, 2026 60 calendar days
Not yet conveneda Wisconsin*[4] January 13, 2026 March 19, 2026 None
Not yet conveneda Wyoming February 9, 2026 March 6, 2026 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:

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


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

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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