Copyright© 1999 by School Services of California, Inc.

December 17, 1999


Legislative Calendar for The 2000 Legislative Session

The state Legislature returns to Sacramento on January 3, 2000 for the second year of its biennium session. The second year of the legislative cycle always starts with a little more urgency on the part of legislators. The reason for increased activity at the beginning of the session is due to "two-year" bills - legislation that is carried over from the prior year (1999). These "two-year" bills will fail passage unless acted upon within a relatively short period of time.

The following is the tentative 2000 legislative calendar:

January 3 Legislature reconvenes for second year of biennium

January 10 Governor must submit State Budget on or before this date

January 14 Last day for policy committees to hear and report bills introduced in 1999 for referral to fiscal committees

January 21 Last day for any committee to hear and report to the floor bills introduced in their house in 1999. This is also the last day to submit bill requests to Legislative Counsel. Districts or organizations interested in sponsoring legislation must have their requests into a legislative author prior to this date

January 31 Last day for the Senate and Assembly to pass bills introduced in their respective houses in 1999

February 25 Last day to introduce a bill

March 7 Primary elections

April 13 Spring recess begins - legislators leave Sacramento

April 24 Legislature reconvenes - legislators return to Sacramento

April 28 Last day for policy committee to hear and report fiscal bills introduced in 2000 to the Fiscal committees

May 12 Last day for policy committees to hear and report to the floor nonfiscal bills

May 19 Last day for policy committees to meet prior to June 5

May 26 Last day for fiscal committees to hear and report bills to the floor. Last day for fiscal committees to meet prior to June 5

May 29 Memorial Day holiday. June 2 last day for Assembly and Senate to pass bills introduced in their respective houses

June 5 Committee meetings may resume

June 15 Budget bill must be passed by midnight

June 29 Last day for a legislative measure to qualify for placement on general election ballot

July 7 Last day for policy committees to meet and report bills from another house. Summer recess begins on adjournment, provided Budget Bill has been enacted

August 7 Legislature reconvenes

August 18 Last day for fiscal committees to meet and report bills introduced in another house to the floor

August 21-31* Floor session only. No committee may meet for any purpose. Last day for any bill to be passed. Final recess begins upon adjournment August 31

September 30 Last day for Governor to sign or veto bills passed by the Legislature before September 1 and in his possession after September 1.

*This deadline applies to all bills, constitutional amendments and bills which would go into immediate effect pursuant to Section 8 of Article IV of the Constitution.

-- Arnold Bray