Chamber deadline sharpens focus of Legislature’s work

Although the session is trudging along slowly, the second chamber deadline is fast approaching.

Bills had to be scheduled for a work session by May 19. Those work sessions must occur by June 2 or the bill is considered “dead.” The deadline does not apply to bills in the revenue, rules and Ways and Means committees. 

With this deadline looming, committees sometimes move a bill to a committee that doesn’t have a deadline so work can continue on the bill. 

After the June 2 deadline, most committees will shut down, although some committees will still choose to hold informational hearings. An informational hearing lets a group continue working on issues that might have died in a bill earlier in the session. Informational hearings can also be used for agency updates.

The session is constitutionally required to end by July 10, but there is still much to be done, including the K-12 education budget.

- Lori Sattenspiel
Interim director of legislative services
lsattenspiel@osba.org