Navigating the legislative calendar

The Legislature establishes the Legislative Calendar at the previous session’s close through resolution. The Legislative Calendar can be found in the right column of the Chief Clerk of the House webpage of the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS). The calendar contains the following important dates:

• Legislative Days
  The time between sessions is called the interim. The Legislature convenes periodically during the interim for special meeting days, called "Legislative Days." These happen approximately every eight weeks and last four days. During Legislative Days, committees may hold informational hearings on topics that could lead to legislation in upcoming sessions, hear updates on implementations of past legislation, hear reports from state agencies and task forces, and keep current on the subject areas that affect Oregonians.  During Legislative Days, the Senate may also convene to make executive appointments.

• Legislative counsel deadlines
  Legislative counsel deadlines make up the timeline for bills to be requested, returned by the counsel and introduced. After these deadlines, drafts and introductions count against per-legislator limits.

• Session deadlines
  Session deadlines establish the timeline for bills to be posted for work sessions, then voted out of policy committees in the first and second chambers. Although there are exceptions, bills not posted for a work session or not moved out of a policy committee by these dates generally cannot be moved out of the committee and are considered “dead.” Session deadlines do not apply to rules, revenue or joint committees.

• Legislative session start and end
  Regular Legislative Assembly sessions convene in the early part of each year and may last 160 days in odd-numbered years and 35 days in even-numbered years. Floor sessions are scheduled on all weekdays during the legislative session and are announced by the Senate president or House speaker.