Legislative Days 36 – 39

March 28, 2022 to April 1, 2022
 
Push to the Finish
 
The House and Senate have two legislative days left in the 2022 session.  Barring any derailments with the budget or leadership’s priority legislation, the General Assembly will conclude its business in the waning hours of Monday, April 4.
 
The primary threats this time of year are amendments and committee substitutes.  Often, entire bills are stripped and language from another measure inserted, leaving only the original bill number.  As the second in a two-year legislative cycle, measures leftover from 2021 that have not been active this year find new life.  Bills that were defeated before Crossover attempt a revival.  It takes constant vigilance to ensure amendments do not sneak through unnoticed.
 
The procedural quirks of each chamber are also on full display.  The Senate, for example, held a three-hour Rules Committee meeting on Thursday to set a single debate calendar with more than 80 measures to govern the final two days.  While it would be unusual for the committee to reconvene, a recent change to procedural policies makes it possible.  The House Rules Committee, on the other hand, will meet multiple times during each of the remaining days, setting short supplemental debate calendars each time.  Both chambers have their own way of muscling through key language as they make their final push towards the finish line.

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