Adopting Joint Rules of Senate and House of Delegates

2025 Regular Session

Grants each legislative chamber authority to adjourn or recess independently for up to 15 days during the 2025–2026 sessions to allow staggered calendars and scheduling flexibility

House Message received

Purpose

SCR 1 authorizes each chamber of the legislature to adjourn or recess separately for periods longer than the usual short-adjournment limit (commonly 2–3 days in many state constitutions) during the 2025 and 2026 regular legislative sessions. The objective is to give each house greater scheduling flexibility so the Senate and House can operate on different calendars when necessary.

Key provisions

Grants each house permission to adjourn or recess independently of the other for up to 15 intervening calendar days.

The timing of such adjournments is left to the judgment of each house (i.e., each chamber may select when to take such a recess during the 2025 and 2026 regular sessions).

Form: concurrent resolution (procedure between the two houses), not a change to statute or the state constitution.

Fiscal note: none indicated.

(Exact operative language in the resolution: “each house hereby grants unto the other permission to adjourn for not more than 15 intervening calendar days at such times as each house shall determine at any time during the 2025 and 2026 regular sessions.”)

Who is affected

Primary: both legislative chambers — leadership and members (President Pro Tempore / Speaker and their scheduling authority).

Secondary: legislative staff, committees, lobbyists, stakeholders, and the public — because committee calendars, bill deadlines, hearings, and interchamber coordination can be affected when the two houses operate on different recess schedules.

This resolution does not create new legal rights or obligations for private parties; it modifies only inter-chamber procedural consent for adjournments.

Procedural and timing notes

Applicable period: the 2025 and 2026 regular sessions (temporary/limited duration).

Nature of action: concurrent resolution — requires adoption by both houses; it is an internal legislative procedural measure rather than a law requiring executive signature.

Record: the bill text states the 15-day maximum and that each house may determine the timing. Status entries in the legislative history show adoption and transmittal activity (adopted in chamber, recorded votes, and filing/record steps consistent with routine resolution processing).

Practical implications

Increases scheduling flexibility for each chamber and can facilitate staggered calendars (useful when one chamber needs extended recess for constituent work, committee work, or other scheduling conflicts).

May reduce the need for negotiating short adjournment consents between the two houses, but could complicate coordination on measures that require simultaneous or closely timed action (e.g., conference committees, passage deadlines).

Does not change substantive legislative deadlines established by law or constitution (except insofar as those deadlines depend on chamber sessions), and it carries no direct fiscal impact as reported.

If you want, I can:
- Pull relevant constitutional or statutory language that normally limits adjournments in your state (to show the exact rule this resolution waives), or
- Draft a one-paragraph explainer for a public audience about how separate adjournments can affect bill timing and transparency.

Bill