Although some bills may have appeared to die late Thursday when they failed to win preliminary approval before a midnight House deadline, there is still a chance the language from those bills could be amended into another bill.
Deadlines for action under the House rules are rapidly approaching and passing. These deadlines wind down the legislative calendar and also add pressure as some begin to look for alternate ways to pass their bills. If a House Bill was not passed out of the House by May 13 (HBs and HJRs- the local deadline is May 20), the Bill itself is considered “dead.” However, language in those bills could still make its way into law by being amended to or contained in substitutes of other pieces of live legislation.
The regular legislative session ends May 30. All Senate bills must gain preliminary House approval by midnight May 24.
Spotlight on Deadlines:
Friday, May 20
Last day for house to consider local House bills
Saturday, May 21
Last day for House committees to report senate bills and Senate joint resolutions
Tuesday, May 24
Last day for House to consider Senate bills and joint resolutions, other than local and consent, on second reading
Wednesday, May 25
Last day for House to consider local and consent Senate bills on second reading or any Senate bills or joint resolutions on third reading
Last day for Senate to consider any bills or joint resolutions on third reading
Friday, May 27
Last day for House to consider Senate amendments
Midnight deadline for Senate to print and distribute senate copies of conference committee reports on tax, general appropriations, and reapportionment bills
Last day for Senate committees to report all bills and joint resolutions
Sunday, May 29
Last day for House to adopt conference committee reports
Last day for Senate to concur in House amendments or adopt conference committee reports
Monday, May 30, 2011
Last day of 82nd Regular Session; corrections only in House and Senate