Important Dates/Deadlines

The 88th Legislative Session is comprised of 140 days, with various deadlines imposed along the way via constitutional provisions and specific rules found within each legislative chamber. The following is a list of the most important dates/deadlines for Texas taxpayers to be aware of:

88th Legislative Session – Overview

Pre-Session:

  • Pre-filing Legislation – Begins Monday, November 14
  • Texas Comptroller Provides Updated Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE) – Monday, January 9. 2023

Session Begins:

  • Day 1 – Tuesday, January 10, 2023: 88th Legislative Session begins
    • House elects Speaker of the House
    • Senate elects President Pro Tempore
  • Day 2/3 – Wednesday, January 11 – Thursday, January 12, 2023:
    • House debates Housekeeping & Rules Resolutions
    • Senate adopts Caucus Report regarding operations of the Senate and temporary rules
  • Day 60 – Friday, March 10, 2023: Bill Filing Deadline

*Committees for each legislative chamber are normally assigned within the first few weeks of the legislative session

**The Governor normally presents his State of the State address to a joint session of the legislature near early February, where he publicly announces his emergency legislative priorities

Mid-Session:

  • Day 61 through Day 118 – Saturday, March 11 – Sunday, May 7, 2023:
    • Committees begin holding public hearings on legislation moving through the legislative process
    • The General Appropriations Act (Proposed State Budget for the next biennium) normally gets deliberated in early-April.

End of Session Deadlines:

  • Day 119 – Monday, May 8, 2023: Last day for House committees to report HBs/HJRs
  • Day 120 – (By 10:00 p.m.) – Tuesday, May 9, 2023: Last House daily calendar with HBs/HJRs must be distributed (36-hour layout)
  • Day 121 – (By 9:00 a.m.) – Wednesday, May 10, 2023: Last House local and consent calendar with consent HBs must be distributed (48-hour layout)
  • Day 122 – Thursday, May 11, 2023: Last day for House to consider 2nd reading HBs/HJRs on daily or supplemental calendar
  • Day 123 – Friday, May 12, 2023: Last day for House to consider consent HBs on local and consent calendar on 2nd and 3rd reading and all 3rd reading HBs/HJRs on supplemental calendar
  • Day 128 – (By 9:00 a.m.) – Wednesday, May 17, 2023: Last House local and consent calendar with local HBs must be distributed (48-hour layout)
  • Day 130 – Friday, May 19, 2023:
    • Last day for House to consider local HBs on local and consent calendar on 2nd and 3rd reading
    • First day Senate can consider Bills and Resolutions the first day after they are posted on the Notice of Intent
  • Day 131 – Saturday, May 20, 2023: Last day for House committees to report SBs/SJRs
  • Day 132 – (By 10:00 p.m.) – Sunday, May 21, 2023: Last House daily calendar with SBs/SJRs must be distributed (36-hour layout)
  • Day 133 – (By 9:00 a.m.) – Monday, May 22, 2023: Last House local and consent calendar with SBs must be distributed (48-hour layout)
  • Day 134 – Tuesday, May 23, 2023: Last day for House to consider 2nd reading SBs/SJRs on the daily or supplemental calendar
  • Day 135 – Wednesday, May 24, 2023:
    • Last day for House to consider local and consent SBs on 2nd & 3rd reading and all 3rd reading SBs/SJRs on the supplemental calendar
    • Last day for Senate to consider all Bills and JRs on 2nd and 3rd reading
  • Day 136 – (Before midnight) – Thursday, May 25, 2023: Senate amendments must be distributed in the House (24-Hour layout)
  • Day 137 – (Before midnight) – Friday, May 26, 2023:
    • House copies of the Conference Committee Report on the general appropriations bill must be distributed (48-hour layout)
    • Last day for House to act on Senate amendments
    • Senate copies of CCRs on tax, general appropriations, and reapportionment bills must be printed and distributed (48-hour layout)
  • Day 138 – (Before midnight) – Saturday, May 27, 2023:
    • House copies of CCRs on bills other than the general appropriations bill must be distributed (24-hour layout)
    • Senate copies of CCRs on bills other than tax, general appropriations, and reapportionment bills must be printed and distributed (24-hour layout)
  • Day 139 – Sunday, May 28, 2023:
    • Last day for House to adopt CCRs or discharge House conferees and concur in Senate amendments
    • Last day for Senate to concur in House amendments or adopt CCRs
  • Day 140 – Monday, May 29, 2023: 88th Legislative Session Ends (Sine Die)

 

Additional Notes

  • Abbreviations used above:
    • HB: House Bill
    • SB: Senate Bill
    • HJR: House Joint Resolution
    • SJR: Senate Joint Resolution
    • CCR: Conference Committee Report
  • The governor must sign or veto legislation within 10 days of transmittal (excluding Sunday), or it becomes law without his/her signature. For legislation transmitted with less than 10 days in the legislative session, the governor has 20 days after adjournment to act, or the legislation becomes law without being signed.
  • Successful legislation does not take effect until 90 days after its passage unless passed by a two-thirds majority.