Table 3.15

Time Limits on Bill Introduction

Data publication year: 2023 (showing) 2022

FIPS	State or other jurisdiction	Time limit on introduction of bills	Procedures for granting exceptions on time limits
01	Alabama	House: no limit. Senate: 24th legislative day of regular session (a).	House: N.A. Senate: Unanimous vote
02	Alaska	35th C day of 2nd regular session.	Introduction by committee or by suspension of operation of limiting rule.
04	Arizona	House: 29th day of regular session; 10th day of special session. Senate: 22nd day of regular session; 10th day of special session.	House: Permission of rules committee. Senate: Permission of rules committee.
05	Arkansas	House: 55th day of regular session (50th day for appropriations bills). Retirement legislation, health care elgislation affecting licensures, and State and Public School Life and Health Insurance Programs legislation shall be introduced during the first 15 days. Senate: 55th day of regular session (50th day for appropriations bills). Retirement legislation, health care legislation affecting licensures, and State and Public School Life and Health Insurance Programs legislation shall be introduced during the first 15 days.	2/3 vote of membership of each house for appropriations bills and all others except retirement and health care legislation affecting licensures which require 3/4 vote of the membership of each house.
06	California	Deadlines established by the Joint Rules Committee applicable to each session.	Approval of Rules Committee and 3/4 vote of membership.
08	Colorado	House: 22nd C day of regular session. Senate: 17th C day of regular session.	Committees on delayed bills may extend deadline.
09	Connecticut	(c)	2/3 vote of members present.
10	Delaware	House: no limit. Senate: no limit.
12	Florida	House: noon of the first day of regular session (d). Senate: noon first day of regular session (e).	House: No exception as such; if neeed, one would be granted by waiving the rule by 2/3 vote on the floor. Senate: Existence of an emergency reasonably compelling consideration notwithstanding the deadline.
13	Georgia*	Only for specific types of bills
15	Hawaii	Actual dates established upon joint agreement on the legislative timetable.	Majority vote of membership.
16	Idaho	House: 20th day of session for personal bills; 36th day of session for all committees; beyond that only privileged cmtes. Senate: 12th day of session for personal bills; 36th day of session for all committees; beyond that only privileged cmtes.	Speaker/President may designate any standing committee to serve as a privileged committee temporarily.
17	Illinois*	House: determined by speaker. Senate: determined by senate president.	House: the speaker may set deadlines for any action on any category of legislative measure, including deadlines for introduction of bills. Senate: At any time, the president may set alternative deadlines for any legislative action with written notice filed with the secretary.
18	Indiana	House: Mid-January. Senate: Date specific - set in Rules, different for long and short session. Mid-January	House: 2/3 vote. Senate: If date falls on weekend/Holiday - extended to next day. Sine die deadline set by statute, does not change.
19	Iowa	House: Drafting request received by Friday of 5th week of 1st regular session; or by Friday of 2nd week of 2nd regular session. Senate: Drafting request received by Friday of 5th week of 1st regular session; or by Friday of 2nd week of 2nd regular session.	House: Constitutional majority; Senate: Constitutional majority.
20	Kansas	House: Actual dates established in the Joint Rules of the House. Senate: Senate every two years when the joint rules are adopted.	Resolution adopted by majority of members of either house may make specific exceptions to deadlines.
21	Kentucky*	House: No introductions after 14th L day of odd-year session, after 38th L day of even-year session. Senate: No introductions after 13th L day of odd-year session, after 40th L day of even-year session.	None.
22	Louisiana*	House: 10th C day of odd year sessions and 23rd C day of even-year sessions. Senate:10th C day of odd year sessions and 23rd C day of even-year sessions.	None.
23	Maine	Filing deadlines are established by the Legislature through its cloture dates established by the Legislative Council.	Bills filed after cloture date must be approved by a majority of the Legislative Council.
24	Maryland*	House: No introductions during the last 35 days of regular session, unless 2/3 of the elected members of a chamber vote yes. Additional limitations involve committee action. House bills introduced during the last 59 calendar days (after the 31st day) are referred to the House Rules Committee. The House Rules contain further provisions concerning the requirements for forcing legislation out of these committees. Senate: No introductions during the last 35 days of regular session, unless 2/3 of the elected members of a chamber vote yes. Additional limitations involve committee action. Senate bills introduced after the 27th calendar day must be referred to the Senate Rules Committee. Senate bills introduced on behalf of the Administration (Governor) after the 13th calendar day Senate bills introduced on behalf of other Executive Department agencies that are not prefiled, must be referred to the Senate Rules Committee upon introduction. The Senate Rules contain further provisions concerning the requirements for forcing legislation out of these committees.	House and Senate: 2/3 vote of elected members of each house.
25	Massachusetts	3rd Friday of January in odd-numbered years.	2/3 vote of members present and voting.
26	Michigan	No limit.
27	Minnesota	No limit.
28	Mississippi*	14th C day in 90 day session; 49th C day in 125 day session (e).	2/3 vote of members present and voting.
29	Missouri*	House: 60th L day of regular session except for apppropriations bills. Senate: March 1.	Majority vote of elected members each house; governor’s request for consideration of bill by special message.
30	Montana*	Introduction of bills & resolutions: 10th L day if requested prior to convening or 2 days after receipt of finished bill draft after session convenes, whichever is earlier. Requests for general bills & resolutions: 12th L day; revenue bills: 17th L day; committee bills & resolutions: 36th L day; appropriations bills: 45th L day; interim study resolutions: 60th L day; committee revenue bills and bill proposing referenda: 62nd L day; committee bills implementing provision of a general appropriation act: 67th L day; resolutions confirmin governor appointees or bill amending/repealing administrative rule: no deadline	2/3 vote of members.
31	Nebraska	House: N/A see below Senate: 10th L day of any session. Exept appropriations bills and bills introduced at request of the governor, bills can be introduced during the first 10 legislative days of session. Appropriation bills and bills introduced at the request of the governor can be introduced at any time during the session.	3/5 vote of elected membership
32	Nevada*	Actual dates established at start of session.	Waiver granted by majority leader of the Senate and speaker of the Assembly acting jointly.
33	New Hampshire	Determined by rules.	2/3 vote of members present.
34	New Jersey	No limit.
35	New Mexico	15 days in short session/even years, 30 days in long session/odd years.	Per joint rule, the limit does not apply to the general appropriations bill, bills to provide for the current expenses of government or bills referred to the legislature by the governor by special message specifically setting for the emergency or necessity requiring the legislation.
36	New York	House: for unlimited introduction of bills, the final day is the last Tuesday in May of the 2nd year of the legislative term. Senate: Determined by the Majority Conference leaders, but no earlier than the 1st Tuesday in March; except introduction by agencies is March 1, for all other program bills it is 1st Tuesday in April.	Assembly: By unanimous consent, by introduction by Rules Cmte., by message from the Senate, consent of the Speaker, or by members elected at special election who take office after the first Tuesday in May. Senate: Introduction by Rules Committee after 2nd Friday in June, or by message from the Assembly.
37	North Carolina	Actual dates established during session.	Senate: 2/3 vote of membership present and voting shall be required.
38	North Dakota (f)	House: 10th Legislative Day. Senate: 15th Legislative Day,	2/3 vote of the floor or by approval of Delayed Bills Committee.
39	Ohio	No limit.
40	Oklahoma	Time limit set in rules.	2/3 vote of membership.
41	Oregon	House: Set by House rules for odd-numbered year sessions. It was the 36th calendar day in 2023 (House Rule 12.40). All measures must be presession filed for even-year session. Senate: Set by Senate rules for odd-numbered year sessions. It was February 21 (the 36th calendar day) in 2023 (Senate Rule 13.15). All measures must be presession filed for even-year session.	House: For odd-numbered year sessions, measures approved by the Rules Committee; appropriation or fiscal measures sponsored by the Committee on Ways and Means; other committee bills approved by the Speaker; and member priority requests (limited to 5 measures). For even-numbered year sessions, Rules, Joint Ways and Means, and Conduct committees are not subject to the deadlines. See House Rule 12.40 and House Concurrent Resolution 38 (2023). Senate: For odd-numbered year sessions, measures approved by the Senate President: appropriation or fiscal measures sponsored by the Committee on Ways and Measure requests (limited to 4 measures in 2023); caucus leaders are limited to 2 measure requests after the deadlines; and member priority requests (limited to 5 measures). For even-numbered year sessions, Senate President, Joint Ways and Means, and Conduct committees are not subject to the deadlines. See Senate RUles 13.15 and House Concurrent Resolution 38 (2023).
42	Pennsylvania*	No limit.
44	Rhode Island	Second week of February for Public Bills.	Sponsor must give one legislative day's notice.
45	South Carolina	House: Prior to April 15 of the 2nd yr. of a two-yr. legislative session; May 1 for bills first introduced in Senate. Rule 5.12. Senate: May 1 of regular session for bills originating in House. Rule 47	House and Senate: 2/3 vote of members present and voting.
46	South Dakota	Individual bills: 40-day session: 15th L day; 35-day session: 10th L day; 35 day session: 10th L day. Committee bills: 40-day session: 16th L day; 35-day session: 11th L day. If a session calendar is adopted for a period of 36 days to 39 days, the legislative deadlines for the 35-day session shall be increased by the number of days by which the length of the session calendar exceeds 35 days.	2/3 approval of members-elect.
47	Tennessee	General bills, 10th L day of regular session (g).	Unanimous approval by Delayed Bills Committee.
48	Texas*	60th C day of regular session, except for local bills, emergency appropriations and all emergency maters submitted by the governor in special message to the legislature.	House: 4/5 vote of members present and voting. Senate: 4/5 vote of members.
49	Utah	12:00 p.m. on 11th day of session.	Motion for request must be approved by a constitutional majority vote.
50	Vermont*	House: 1st year: 4th legislative day before the end of February. 2nd year: by Wednesday in 2nd week of session. Deviations for committee and charter bills. House Rule 40. Senate: 1st year: Anytime; 2nd year: by second Friday after start of session, with committee bills by Jan. 31st. Senate Rule 39.	Approval by Rules Committee.
51	Virginia	Set by joint procedural resolution adopted at the beginning of the session (usually the second Friday of the session is the last day to introduce legislation that does not have any earlier deadline).	As provided in the joint procedural resolution (usually unanimous consent or at written request of the governor).
53	Washington*	Until 10 days before the end of session unless 2/3 vote of elected members of each house.	2/3 vote of elected members of each house.
54	West Virginia	House: 35 C day. Senate: 41st C day.	2/3 vote of members present.
55	Wisconsin	No limit.
56	Wyoming	House: 15th L day of session in odd numbered years. 5th L day in even numbered years. Senate: 12th L day of session in odd numbered years. 5th L day in even numbered years.	House: 2/3 vote of elected members. Senate: 2/3 vote of elected members.
60	American Samoa*	House: After the 25th L day of the fourth Regular Session. Senate: After the 15th L day.
66	Guam*	Public hearing on bill must be held no more than 120 days after date of bill introduction.
69	CNMI* **	No limit.
72	Puerto Rico*	1st session - within first 125 days; 2nd session - within first 60 days.	None.
78	U.S. Virgin Islands*	No limit.

Source:

The Council of State Governments' survey of state legislative service agencies, 2023.

Key:

*	—	Information carried forward due to state nonresponse.
**	—	Commonwealth of Mariana Islands.
C	—	Calendar.
L	—	Legislative.

Footnotes:

(a)	Not applicable to local bills, advertised or otherwise.
(c)	Specific dates set in Joint Rules: January 13th, 2023 for the 2023 session and February 9, 2024 for the 2024 session.
(d)	House: For Member-filed bills, noon of the first day of regular session. House Rule 5.2 sets a time limit for the introduction of bills, but this applies to Member-filed bills only. Proposed committee bills, local bills (dependent on completion of 30-day public notice period), and committee substitutes (treated by House Rules as new bills) are routinely filed after the first day of Session.
(e)	Senate: Noon first day of regular session. Not applicable to appropriations bills, concurrent resolutions regarding certain subjects, local bills (which have no deadline), claim bills (deadline is August 1 of the year preceding consideration or within 62 days of a Senator’s election), committee bills, trust fund bills, and public records exemptions linked to timely filed bills.
(f)	Introduction deadlines may vary by rule depending upon covening dates. Generally, the deadlines fall on the second and third Mondays after covening.
(g)	Local bills have no cutoff.