Describe the two types of legislative sessions and the differences between them
If you know how one state legislature works… then you know how one state legislature works. State legislatures are like miniature Congresses — but no two are exactly alike. This section will highlight how state legislators think, and the similarities and differences between state legislatures.
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What Motivates Your State Legislators?
What Do State Legislatures Have in Common?Even though each state legislature is unique, many of them share a few basic characteristics:
What Makes State Legislatures Different from Each Other?Despite the similarities named above, legislatures do differ in some key ways that will affect your advocacy strategy:
How Can You Learn About Your Own State’s Legislature?You’ll need to learn about how your own state’s legislature works and who represents you. Who Represents Me?
How Does My Legislature Work?Here are some basic questions to ask yourself when learning about your state’s legislative process.
State Legislative Session DatesState Start Date End Date Alabama 03/25/2019 05/23/2019 Alaska 01/15/2019 05/16/2020 Arizona 01/14/2019 05/11/2019 Arkansas 01/14/2019 05/02/2019 California 12/03/2018 09/13/2019 Colorado 01/09/2019 05/11/2019 Connecticut 01/09/2019 06/08/2019 Delaware 01/08/2019 06/30/2020 Florida 03/05/2019 05/03/2019 Georgia 01/14/2019 03/20/2020 Hawaii 01/16/2019 05/03/2020 Idaho 01/07/2019 03/30/2019 Illinois 01/09/2019 01/06/2021 Indiana 01/14/2019 04/21/2019 Iowa 01/14/2019 04/21/2020 Kansas 01/14/2019 06/26/2019 Kentucky 01/08/2019 03/30/2019 Louisiana 04/14/2019 06/06/2019 Maine 12/05/2018 04/15/2020 Maryland 01/09/2019 04/10/2019 Massachusetts 01/02/2019 01/07/2021 Michigan 01/09/2019 12/31/2020 Minnesota 01/08/2019 05/21/2020 Mississippi 01/08/2019 03/30/2019 Missouri 01/09/2019 05/31/2019 Montana 01/07/2019 04/20/2019 Nebraska 01/09/2019 04/15/2020 Nevada 02/04/2019 06/04/2019 New Hampshire 01/02/2019 06/30/2019 New Jersey 01/09/2018 01/07/2020 New Mexico 01/15/2019 03/16/2019 New York 01/09/2019 01/06/2021 North Carolina 01/16/2019 06/30/2020 North Dakota 01/03/2019 04/26/2019 Ohio 01/07/2019 12/31/2020 Oklahoma 02/05/2019 05/25/2020 Oregon 02/05/2019 06/01/2019 Pennsylvania 01/01/2019 11/30/2020 Rhode Island 01/01/2019 06/30/2019 South Carolina 01/08/2019 06/08/2020 South Dakota 01/08/2019 03/29/2019 Tennessee 01/08/2019 05/08/2020 Texas 01/08/2019 05/27/2019 Utah 01/28/2019 03/14/2019 Vermont 01/09/2019 05/12/2020 Virginia 01/09/2019 03/09/2019 Washington 01/14/2019 04/22/2020 West Virginia 01/09/2019 03/09/2019 Wisconsin 01/07/2019 01/04/2021 Wyoming 01/08/2019 03/09/2019 Read More LessTo learn more about the ins and outs of your particular state, it can be helpful to connect with experts (partners, legislators, legislative staff) and pick their brains to learn what goes on behind the scenes of the legislative process. What is the difference between terms and sessions of Congress?A term of Congress is two years long and begins on January 3 of each odd-numbered year. Each Member of the U.S. House of Representatives is elected to serve for one term at a time, and may be elected later to serve additional terms. A session of Congress is one year long.
What are the two legislative chambers?Established by Article I of the Constitution, the Legislative Branch consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress.
How many sessions are there?Each Congress generally has two sessions, based on the constitutional mandate that Congress assemble at least once a year. In addition, a meeting of one or both houses is a session. And the Senate and House of Representatives is said to be in session on any particular day when it is meeting.
What is a regular session?: a session (as of a court) that is designated to happen at fixed intervals or specified times.
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