Dates of 2025 state legislative sessions

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Each state has its own legislature. TheTenth Amendment of theU.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, andTexas—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 havefull-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 2025 legislative sessions in all 50 states.

  • Thelegislative map, which was updated weekly, shows what states adjourned, were in regular session or special session.
  • Thesession table breaks down the start and end date of a state's legislative session, the length of the session, special sessions, andtrifecta status.
  • Themethodology Ballotpedia used to assemble the map and chart.
  • Aglossary of terms specific to legislative sessions.

Map of legislative sessions

The legislative map below shows 2025 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 byMultiState and theNational Conference of State Legislatures.


State legislative sessions

The state legislative session table below breaks down the start and end date of a state's 2025 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 fromMultiState 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 statehas full-time legislators.
  • (**) - This state did not adjourn on designated dates due to unfinished business.

States

2025 state legislative sessions
StateStart dateEnd date (projected)Session length limit[3]Special sessions/Other sessions
State's session adjournedaAlabamaFebruary 4, 2025May 14, 202530 legislative days in 105 calendar days
State's session adjournedaAlaskaJanuary 21, 2025May 20, 202590 calendar daysSpecial session was from August 2, 2025, to August 31, 2025.
State's session adjournedaArizonaJanuary 13, 2025June 27, 2025Saturday of the last week in which the 100th calendar day falls
State's session adjournedaArkansasJanuary 13, 2025May 5, 2025Odd-numbered years - 60 days
Even-numbered years - 30 days
State's session adjournedaCalifornia*[4]December 2, 2024September 13, 2025Constitution: Even-numbered years - Nov. 30
Odd-numbered years - None
Chamber Rule: Even-numbered years - Aug. 31
Odd-numbered years - Sept. 12		Special session was from December 2, 2024, to February 3, 2025.
State's session adjournedaColoradoJanuary 8, 2025May 7, 2025120 calendar daysSpecial session was from August 21, 2025 to August 26, 2025.
State's session adjournedaConnecticutJanuary 8, 2025June 4, 2025Odd: Wednesday after the first Monday in June; Even: Wednesday after the first Monday in MaySpecial session was from November 12, 2025, to November 13, 2025.
State's session adjournedaDelawareJanuary 14, 2025June 30, 2025June 30A special session was held on August 12, 2025. Special session was from November 13, 2025, to November 19, 2025.
State's session adjournedaFloridaMarch 4, 2025June 16, 202560 calendar days
State's session adjournedaGeorgiaJanuary 13, 2025April 4, 202540 legislative days
State's session adjournedaHawaiiJanuary 15, 2025May 2, 202560 legislative days
State's session adjournedaIdahoJanuary 6, 2025April 4, 2025None
State's session adjournedaIllinois*[4]January 8, 2025May 31, 2025NoneVeto session was from October 14, 2025, to October 30, 2025.
State's session adjournedaIndianaJanuary 8, 2025April 24, 2025Odd-numbered years - 61 days (April 29)
Even-numbered years - 30 days (March 14)
State's session adjournedaIowaJanuary 13, 2025May 14, 2025Odd-numbered years - 110 days
Even-numbered years - 100 days
State's session adjournedaKansasJanuary 13, 2025April 11, 2025None (odd), 90 days (even)
State's session adjournedaKentuckyJanuary 7, 2025March 28, 2025Odd-numbered years - 30 legislative days or March 30
Even-numbered years - 60 legislative days or April 15
State's session adjournedaLouisianaApril 14, 2025June 12, 2025Even-numbered years - 60 legislative days in 85 calendar days
Odd-numbered years - 45 legislative days in 60 calendar days		Special session from October 23, 2025, to October 29, 2025.
State's session adjournedaMaineDecember 4, 2024March 21, 2025Odd: 3rd Wed in June; Even: 3rd Wed in AprilSpecial session was on March 25, 2025.
State's session adjournedaMarylandJanuary 8, 2025April 7, 202590 calendar days
State's session adjournedaMassachusetts*[4]January 1, 2025November 19, 2025Odd: 3rd Wed in November; Even: July 31
State in regular sessionaMichigan*[4]January 8, 2025December 31, 2025None
State's session adjournedaMinnesotaJanuary 14, 2025May 19, 2025120 legislative days in 2 years, or the 1st Monday after the 3rd Saturday in May each year
State's session adjournedaMississippiJanuary 7, 2025April 3, 202590 calendar days; except after a gubernatorial election, then 125 daysSpecial session was from May 28, 2025, to May 29, 2025.
State's session adjournedaMissouriJanuary 8, 2025May 15, 2025May 30Special session was on June 2, 2025. Special session was on September 3, 2025.
State's session adjournedaMontanaJanuary 6, 2025April 30, 202590 legislative days in two years
State's session adjournedaNebraskaJanuary 8, 2025June 2, 2025Odd-numbered years - 90 legislative days
Even-numbered years - 60 days
State's session adjournedaNevadaFebruary 3, 2025June 2, 2025120 calendar days in two yearsSpecial session was from November 13, 2025, to November 19, 2025.
State's session adjournedaNew HampshireJanuary 8, 2025June 26, 202545 legislative days or July 1Special session was on June 27, 2025.
State in regular sessionaNew Jersey*[4]January 14, 2025January 12, 2025None
State's session adjournedaNew MexicoJanuary 21, 2025March 22, 2025Odd-numbered years - 60 days
Even-numbered years - 30 days		Special session was from October 1, 2025 to October 2, 2025.
State's session adjournedaNew York*[4]January 8, 2025June 17, 2025None
State in regular sessionaNorth CarolinaJanuary 8, 2025December 31, 2025NoneSpecial session was on November 17, 2025.
State's session adjournedaNorth DakotaJanuary 7, 2025May 3, 202580 legislative days in two years
State in regular sessionaOhio*[4]January 6, 2025December 31, 2025None
State's session adjournedaOklahomaFebruary 3, 2025May 30, 2025Last Friday in May
State's session adjournedaOregonJanuary 21, 2025June 27, 2025Odd-numbered years - 160 calendar days
Even-numbered years - 35 calendar days		Special session was from August 29, 2025, to October 1, 2025.
State in regular sessionaPennsylvania*[4]January 7, 2025December 31, 2025None
State's session adjournedaRhode IslandJanuary 7, 2025June 20, 2025None
State's session adjournedaSouth CarolinaJanuary 14, 2025May 28, 2025First Thurs in June
State's session adjournedaSouth DakotaJanuary 14, 2025March 31, 202540 legislative daysSpecial session was on September 23, 2025,
State's session adjournedaTennesseeJanuary 14, 2025April 22, 202590 legislative daysSpecial session was from January 27, 2025 to January 30, 2025.
State's session adjournedaTexasJanuary 14, 2025June 2, 2025140 calendar days in two yearsSpecial session began on July 21, 2025 and ended on August 15, 2025. Special session began on August 15, 2025 and ended on September 3, 2025.
State's session adjournedaUtahJanuary 21, 2025March 7, 202545 calendar daysSpecial session was on October 6, 2025.
State's session adjournedaVermontJanuary 8, 2025June 17, 2025None
State's session adjournedaVirginiaJanuary 8, 2025February 22, 2025Odd numbered years - 30 calendar days
Even-numbered years - 60 days		Special session was from October 27, 2025, to October 31, 2025.
State's session adjournedaWashingtonJanuary 13, 2025April 27, 2025Odd numbered years - 105 calendar days
Even-numbered years - 60 days
State's session adjournedaWest VirginiaFebruary 12, 2025April 12, 202560 calendar days
State in regular sessionaWisconsin*[4]January 6, 2025December 31, 2025None
State's session adjournedaWyomingJanuary 14, 2025March 6, 2025Odd-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. 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

Alabama (H,S) ·Alaska (H,S) ·Arizona (H,S) ·Arkansas (H,S) ·California (A,S) ·Colorado (H,S) ·Connecticut (H,S) ·Delaware (H,S) ·Florida (H,S) ·Georgia (H,S) ·Hawaii (H,S) ·Idaho (H,S) ·Illinois (H,S) ·Indiana (H,S) ·Iowa (H,S) ·Kansas (H,S) ·Kentucky (H,S) ·Louisiana (H,S) ·Maine (H,S) ·Maryland (H,S) ·Massachusetts (H,S) ·Michigan (H,S) ·Minnesota (H,S) ·Mississippi (H,S) ·Missouri (H,S) ·Montana (H,S) ·Nebraska ·Nevada (A,S) ·New Hampshire (H,S) ·New Jersey (GA,S) ·New Mexico (H,S) ·New York (A,S) ·North Carolina (H,S) ·North Dakota (H,S) ·Ohio (H,S) ·Oklahoma (H,S) ·Oregon (H,S) ·Pennsylvania (H,S) ·Rhode Island (H,S) ·South Carolina (H,S) ·South Dakota (H,S) ·Tennessee (H,S) ·Texas (H,S) ·Utah (H,S) ·Vermont (H,S) ·Virginia (H,S) ·Washington (H,S) ·West Virginia (H,S) ·Wisconsin (A,S) ·Wyoming (H,S)
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