Indiana’s part-time legislature could work less under a provision inserted into the state budget giving flexibility on the length of future sessions.
The budget session — which occurs in odd-numbered years — would still have an April 29 end date. And the so-called short session — which occurs in even-numbered years — would still conclude by March 14.
But the new language allows the sessions to begin later.
Right now, the law says they must start no later than the second Monday in January. The modification would shift that to the fourth Monday in January.
If that was in place this year, the session could have started as late as Jan. 23 instead of Jan. 9.
There’s probably a joke somewhere in here about Indiana legislators doing less damage with less time, but it’s an interesting idea to consider.
Possibilities
House Speaker Todd Huston said he received good feedback from members and staff when the session started the second week of January this year, providing a little extra time after New Year’s. Sometimes, depending on when the Monday falls, session starts just after New Year’s Day.
Huston said there is no plan for a big overhaul – “the intent is just to give leaders flexibility moving forward.”
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) reports that states approach session length in varying ways. Some are full-time; some part-time. Some have limits on the number of days they can be in session.
Indiana has start and finish days set but no limit on session days.
Since the late 1980s, NCSL said, several session lengths have been shortened.
Colorado cut its session to 120 days in 1988. In 2002, an amendment to the Louisiana Constitution changed the timing of its general and fiscal sessions and adjusted the length of the fiscal session. In 2006, Alaska voters passed an initiative establishing a 90-day session in statute. South Dakota voters, though, recently approved a constitutional amendment adding a few legislative session days.
Only 11 states do not place a limit on the length of regular session. In the remaining 39, the limits are set by constitution, statute, chamber rule or indirect method, according to NCSL.
Huston said he thought the later date would more likely be used in the long session than the short session, which is already a compressed time period.
History
He noted in 2021 that the General Assembly took a week off due to security concerns and still finished its work.
In 2022, the session ended five days early, which saved thousands in lawmaker per diem and staffing costs.
They don’t always get done early, however.
In 2018, a chaotic finish featuring infighting among Republicans led to a one-day special session costing $30,000.
That event was influential for Huston, who now tries to end several days early to avoid a reoccurrence. But without a hard midnight deadline, legislators end up pushing through to the early morning hours.
Just last week the Senate adjourned at 2:47 a.m. Legislators on both sides of the aisle complained about the truncated debate and inability to fully read the lengthy budget bill.
And that’s not good for anyone.
Niki Kelly is editor-in-chief of indianacapitalchronicle.com, where this commentary first appeared. She has covered Indiana politics and the Indiana Statehouse since 1999 for publications including the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Send comments to [email protected].
