On February 18, Gov. Pat McCrory called a special session of the General Assembly, for the purpose of drawing new congressional district maps. The new maps are needed because two congressional districts have been declared unconstitutional by the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina just ahead of the upcoming primary election.

The regular session of the General Assembly is not scheduled to meet until April 25.

Photo of the North Carolina State Legislative Building by Jayron32 on Wikimedia Commons.

Gov. Dannel Malloy announced he will be calling the General Assembly into special session after reaching a tentative deal with fellow Democrats on the state’s budget deficits. The session will begin December 8, 2015.

While the governor and Democrats have, for the most part, come to an agreement, Republican members of the legislature are not yet on board. It is unclear whether the lack of bipartisan support will hamper passage of any bill introduced.

Photo of the Connecticut State Capitol courtesy of Ragesoss on Wikipedia.

On September 30, the North Carolina General Assembly adjourned its legislative session. Both chambers finished their legislative work shortly after 4 a.m. The Legislature is scheduled to next convene on April 25, 2016.

Photo of the North Carolina State Capitol by Jayron32 on Wikimedia Commons.

Gov. Jay Nixon has set the special election date for three vacant seats in the General Assembly. The 29th District, 36th District, and the 89th District special elections will be held on November 3, 2015.

Rep. Noel Torpey resigned from his 29th District seat to take a job as a lobbyist. Rep. Kevin McManus resigned from his 36th District seat following his election to the City Council of Kansas City. Rep. John Diehl Jr. resigned from his 89th District seat after admitting to inappropriate texts with an intern.

The Delaware General Assembly adjourned June 30, 2015, after many weeks of negotiation to pass the state’s budget.

In the early morning hours of July 1, 2015, Gov. Jack Markell signed the budget bills and a transportation funding measure, marking the end of the state’s legislative proceedings for the year.

The General Assembly will convene a special session today, June 29, 2015, to complete work on the state budget and other unfinished bills from the regular session.

Lawmakers will also address reforms to the prison and parole system as well as a bill dealing with excessive use of force by law enforcement.

Legislative leaders hope to wrap up the session in one day.

The Rhode Island General Assembly concluded its session and recessed on June 25, 2015. Any bills submitted to Gov. Gina Raimondo must be signed or vetoed by July 6. There is no pocket veto.

Photo of the Rhode Island State Capitol courtesy of Garrett A. Wollman on Wikimedia Commons.

The first regular session of the 121st South Carolina General Assembly adjourned Thursday, June 4, without reaching an agreement on a budget for the state’s next fiscal year.

The legislature will return to Columbia for a three-day special session starting June 16.

It is also expected to return later in June for a second special session to deal with vetoes and to determine how to use more than $300 million in state surplus funds.

The First Extraordinary Session of the 90th General Assembly adjourned on Thursday, May 28.

Lawmakers spent much of the three day session discussing, and ultimately approving, a bill to move the state’s 2016 primary and nonpartisan judicial elections from May 20 to March 1.

The Missouri General Assembly adjourned sine die on Friday, May 15. Lawmakers in the House sent 31 bills to Gov. Jay Nixon while the Senate, after admitting nothing more was likely to get done, adjourned hours early of the 6 p.m. deadline.

Senate Democrats stalled nearly every action in the last week of session after the Republican majority used a procedural motion to end debate and force a vote on a right-to-work bill barring mandatory collection of union fees.

All legislation pending in the Senate died upon adjournment; Gov. Nixon is not expected to call a special session to consider the unfinished business.

Photo of the Missouri Capitol by Nickbigd on Wikimedia Commons.

The first regular session of the seventieth Colorado General Assembly adjourned sine die on Wednesday, May 6. Legislators sent roughly 50 bills to the Governor before adjourning hours shy of the midnight deadline.

Measures passed include a tax increment financing bill giving counties, school boards, and special districts more say in how cities waive future tax dollars for urban renewal projects, a bill increasing the pay of the governor, other state executive officers, lawmakers, and county officials effective in 2019, and a bill to reduce standardized testing in Colorado public schools.

Photo of the Colorado State Capitol by Greg O’Beirne on Wikimedia Commons.

Both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly adjourned the 2015 session on Wednesday, April 22.

The session was highlighted by the passage of legislation allowing handgun-carry permit holders to be armed in any state park and a failed attempt to make the Bible the official state book. Lawmakers also approved the annual budget after rejecting a renewed attempt to authorize Medicaid expansion.

The 2016 session of the 109th General Assembly will convene at noon on Tuesday, January 12, 2016.

Photo of the Tennessee state capitol house floor by Ichabod on Wikimedia Commons.

Lawmakers met one final time Friday, April 17 to finalize the ethics reform bill passed at the close of the legislative session. Gov. Terry McAuliffe proposed an amendment to change the gift limit from $100 per gift, but allowing an unlimited number of such gifts, to a $100 aggregate limit from any one source.

After correcting a drafting error in the amendment, both chambers unanimously passed the measure. The new limits go into effect on January 1, 2016.

After completing work on the bill, the General Assembly adjourned sine die.

Photo of the Virginia State Capitol by Varmin on Wikimedia Commons.

The General Assembly reconvened Wednesday to review several proposed legislative amendments offered by Gov. Terry McAuliffe, including changes to the ethics reform bill. The bill, as sent to the governor, changes the lobbyist gift limit from $250 per year from any one source to $100 per gift.

The governor, fearing this would allow legislators to accept an unlimited number of gifts as long as they were less than $100 each, suggested a $100 per year limit from any one source. Lawmakers voiced their own concerns with the amendment, stating its wording could be construed to create a $100 lifetime limit.

Much to the dismay of some members, the General Assembly will meet again on Friday, April 17 to clarify the issue and hold a vote.

Photo of the Virginia State Capitol by Anderskev on Wikimedia Commons.