Some states rely on special sessions to get extra work done, some states don't have special sessions at all. Not surprisingly states with year round sessions don't tend to use special sessions much or at all. Not surprisingly Texas, which meets every other year, has to use special sessions from time to time. More surprisingly Montana does not, and North Dakota barely does. Of course 2021 in Virginia was kind of a mess, with all of their regular session bills technically being passed in a special session. The other states that use special sessions quite a bit may surprise you. Show
Here's a map showing the count of all regular and special session bills by state, from 2011 to date:
 Alaska has no special session bills, and Hawaii has had 31. And here are the number of bills that passed, regular and special:
Which is quite similar. Hawaii passed 15 of their special session bills. To interact with this data, and see the full counts for all the states, see this Tableau viz (notice the tabs at the top to explore the data): https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/karen.suhaka/viz/SpecialSessionvsRegularSessionbills/PassedBills Every two years the Senate convenes a new “congress,” a two-year period of legislative business. Typically, a congress is divided into two annual sessions of the Senate, convened in early January and adjourned in December. On any given day, however, the Senate may meet in a variety of designated sessions to fulfill its legislative, executive, and constitutional duties. Types of Sessions Daily Session: The Senate’s routine day. Special Session: When the Senate convenes an extra session, following sine die adjournment, it is known as a special session. Extraordinary Session: An extraordinary session occurs when the president exercises his constitutional authority to call Congress back into session during a recess or after a sine die adjournment. Joint Session: When the Senate and the House meet together to conduct formal business, to hear an address by the president, or to count electoral ballots, it is known as a joint session. On some occasions, the two houses of Congress meet unofficially to hear foreign dignitaries speak or for other purposes. This is known as a joint meeting. Pro Forma Session: From the Latin, meaning “as a matter of form,” a pro forma session is a brief meeting of the Senate, often only a few minutes in duration. Lame Duck Session: A lame duck session occurs when Congress (or either chamber) reconvenes following the November general elections. Among the lawmakers who return for this session are those who were defeated for reelection or chose not to run again. They are informally called "lame duck" members participating in a "lame duck" session. Closed Session: Closed sessions of the Senate, sometimes referred to as secret sessions, are used to debate confidential information, such as classified material dealing with national security, and for deliberations during impeachment trials. From 1789 to 1795 the Senate always met in closed sessions. After the Senate agreed to open its doors to the public in 1795, it continued to conduct all executive business—that dealing with treaties or presidential nominations—in closed session. In 1929 the Senate decided to open all routine business to the public, including much of its executive business deliberations. Executive Session: In the Senate, a portion of most days is given to executive business with the Senate meeting in executive session to consider treaties or presidential nominations. Although such sessions were closed for many years, the modern Senate does most of its executive business in open session. What is the difference between a regular session and a special session?A regular session is the annual gathering of legislators, the starting date of which is set by the Alabama constitution. A special session is a period when the legislature convenes outside of the normal legislative session in order to complete unfinished tasks for the year. Who can call a special session?Alabama is one of 14 states where only the Governor can call a special session. How long does a special session last?These sessions are limited to 12 legislative days within a 30-calendar day span. What topics does a special session cover?In a regular session, bills may be enacted on any subject. During a special session, the governor must list the subjects on which legislation will be debated upon. Governor Ivey has limited this upcoming special session bills to prison infrastructure and sentencing reform. When does the 2021 special session begin?The session will begin on Monday, September 27. The House will convene at 4pm and the Senate's convening time has not been announced yet. Can I view the bills for the special session?Yes, you can view the bills on the Alabama Legislature's website. Does the legislature hold public hearings during a special session?Yes, public hearings can be requested by emailing the House/Senate clerk 24 hours before the committee meeting. How do I contact the clerks and/or committee members?You can find a list of the committee members and each committee clerk linked below.
Where can I sign up for email updates?Go to https://action.aclu.org/webform/al-legislative-update-signup, and sign up for the ACLU of Alabama's legislative updates. What is a special session of Congress?Special Session: When the Senate convenes an extra session, following sine die adjournment, it is known as a special session.
What is the meaning of special session?special session in American English
noun. a session, as of a legislature or council, called to meet in addition to those held regularly.
What is regular session?: a session (as of a court) that is designated to happen at fixed intervals or specified times.
What is a special session of Congress and who calls a special session?At times presidents have called Congress into extraordinary session to address urgent issues such as war and economic crisis. On other occasions, presidents have summoned the Senate into session to consider nominations and treaties.
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