LobbyComply Blog

Gov. Rick Scott has called the Legislature into a special session to finalize the state budget. The session is scheduled for June 7 to June 9, 2017.

Gov. Scott and House Speaker Richard Corcoran, who were at odds throughout the 2017 session, struck a deal on the budget and a controversial education bill, providing an increase in spending for charter schools.

Absent from the governor’s call is the issue of medical marijuana sales, despite overwhelming citizen approval of a 2016 ballot measure. A two-thirds vote by lawmakers, however, could expand the focus of the special session.

This week, Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a call for a special session of the Louisiana Legislature as a precautionary measure in response to significant disagreements over the state’s operating and construction budgets.

The special session, if necessary, is to convene Thursday, June 8, at 6:30 pm and must adjourn by midnight on Monday, June 19. The regular session of the Legislature is scheduled to adjourn at 6:00 pm on Thursday, June 8, with the special legislative session convening just half an hour later if no budget consensus is reached.

Gov. Edwards has threatened to veto the current budget, which leaves $206 million unspent, as he believes it forces unnecessary cuts.

The Alaska Legislature is still at work trying to pass a budget bill to resolve the state’s annual $2.7 billion deficit.

Alaska faces a government shutdown if a budget is not adopted by July 1, and the governor’s administration already sent 30-day layoff warnings to state employees.

Because the legislative session is extending into the month of June, an additional monthly expenditure report for registered legislative lobbyists will be due on July 31, 2017.

On May 23, the Washington Legislature adjourned its first special session sine die.

Lawmakers were unable to reach agreement on a budget bill during the session forcing Gov. Jay Inslee to call for a second 30-day special session to start immediately after adjournment.

A two-year operating budget needs signed into law by June 30 or the state faces a partial government shutdown.

The 2017 Minnesota regular legislative session adjourned late on Monday, May 22, 2017.

The legislators failed to pass a $46 billion spending package. As a result, the Legislature immediately entered into a special session at 12:01 a.m., on May 23, 2017.

The special session is expected to end on May 24, 2017.

South Carolina lawmakers scheduled a three-day special legislative session before adjourning the regular session on May 11. The special session is expected to begin today.

Because state law requires it, House Speaker Jay Lucas will gavel it in but then likely adjourn an empty chamber.

He encouraged House members not to return for the session because there is no budget compromise to consider. He plans to call House members back when the budget panel, consisting of members from both chambers of the Legislature, has taken the time to complete its work and reach an agreement.

The 46 members of the Senate are expected to be present for the special session, as Senate President Pro Tem Hugh Leatherman has not indicated anything to the contrary.

Gov. Bill Walker ordered Alaska legislators into a special session just minutes after the regular session adjourned.

Lawmakers have been unable to agree on how to resolve the state’s annual $2.7 billion deficit. Majority House Democrats proposed a state income tax as well as cuts to oil and gas subsidies, while Republicans in the Senate Majority favored budget cuts and spending from the Permanent Fund’s investment earnings.

Alaska’s fiscal year begins July 1, giving lawmakers just over a month to make a deal.

The Vermont Legislature adjourned the 2017 regular session today, May 19, 2017. Lawmakers delayed adjournment by more than a week as they continued negotiations on the state budget.

The budget includes a health insurance savings program for teachers, as demanded by Gov. Phil Scott in the eleventh hour of the session. With little time to create the proposal, the final version passed by both houses is expected to meet the governor’s veto stamp and the specter of a special session looms.

Also passed by both houses, and awaiting the governor’s action, is a bill to establish a state ethics commission and a state code of ethics.

The Florida Legislature adjourned the 2017 regular session on Monday, May 8, 2017.

Lawmakers extended the session an extra day after failing to reach an agreement on the state budget, despite Republican majorities in both houses.

The $82.4 billion budget was $1.1 billion less than Gov. Rick Scott’s proposal, leaving open the possibility of at least a partial veto.

A special session also remains possible to deal with implementing the medical marijuana amendment passed by voters last year.

The West Virginia Legislature is taking a 10-day recess from the special session that convened May 4. Lawmakers quickly rejected Gov. Jim Justice’s tax increase plan and there is little agreement on how to address the budget.

Both the House and Senate agreed to a resolution adjourning the special session until May 15 to allow time for lawmakers to work toward an agreement that all parties can support.

Lawmakers must pass a budget bill before July 1 to avoid a government shutdown.

Gov. Susana Martinez has called a special session for May 24, 2017.

According to the proclamation, the special session is called to enact legislation concerning the budget, tax reform, and nominees for the appointment to the Board of Regents for state higher education institutions.

Per New Mexico law, all legislators are prohibited from soliciting a campaign contribution beginning when a proclamation has been issued and ending when the special session adjourns.

The adjournment date has yet to be determined.

The North Dakota Legislature adjourned its legislative session on April 27.

The session lasted 77 days, ending ahead of the 80-day maximum set by the Constitution.

Lawmakers approved a $13.6 billion budget for the 2017-2019 biennium before adjourning.

On April 23, the Washington Legislature adjourned the regular session sine die.

Lawmakers were unable to reach agreement on a budget bill during the regular session, forcing a special session to start Monday, April 24.

A two-year operating budget needs to be signed into law by June 30 or the state faces a partial government shutdown.

The Alaska Legislature will remain in session despite its April 17 deadline, with lawmakers still working to pass a budget bill and other deficit reduction measures.

A voter initiative passed in 2006 limits the legislative session to 90 days, but legislators often continue after the deadline and follow the constitutional deadline of 121 days.

If more time is needed after the constitutional deadline, a special session would need to be convened.