Post by: bigtex on March 28, 2013, 05:42:55 PM
April 3rd is the last day bills can be read in committees, except fiscal committees (ways and means and appropriations)
April 9th is the last day to read bills in fiscal committees
After these dates all bills will be related to the budget. Now policy bills can still be passed but typically only if they have an impact on improving the budget, bills simply creating a new law aren’t affected.
The legislature runs on a two year cycle. Bills introduced in an odd year are “alive” for two years, bills in even years are alive for just that one year. This means that all bills that did not pass this year can still be voted on and passed next year. Next year bills from 2013 will essentially start from where they ended this year.
Next year legislators can continue to work on and pass bills from 2013 or they may introduce bills of similar nature that may have a better chance of being passed. As an example, the DNR LE bill passed the House and it most likely is not being moved on in the Senate since it is mainly a Democrat supported bill, legislators will probably continue to push the 2013 version next year. In comparison, the Liquor Control Board LE bill will need significant changes so next year legislators will probably introduce an entirely new bill.