Legislative leaders set 2026 committee deadlines

Legislative leaders on Tuesday officially set the timeline for getting bills through the committee process during the upcoming 2026 session.

Here are the three deadlines for the 2026 session (first and second deadlines are the same day):

Friday, March 27 at 5 p.m.: Committees must act favorably on bills in the house of origin and committees must act favorably on bills, or companions of bills, that met the first deadline in the other body.

Friday, April 17 at 5 p.m.: Committees must act favorably on major appropriation and finance bills.

The annual Easter/Passover break is scheduled to begin on March 27 at 5 p.m. The Legislature will be in recess until 8 a.m. on April 7. 

Per Joint Rule 2.03, the deadlines do not apply to the House Capital Investment Division; the House Taxes, Ways and Means, or Rules and Legislative Administration committees; nor the Senate Capital Investment, Finance, Taxes or Rules and Administration committees.

The Legislature must complete its work by May 18.