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SJR 15

Bi-annual Legislative Session Amendment

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Laura Chapman

Constitutional amendment would shift West Virginia legislature from yearly to biennial sessions, reducing lawmaking frequency and potentially concentrating legislative power into longer periodic meetings.

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Bill Summary · SJR 15

Legislative bill overview

SJR 15 proposes a constitutional amendment to change West Virginia's legislature from annual sessions to biennial (every two years) sessions. This would modify the state constitution to alter the frequency and structure of when lawmakers convene to conduct state business.

Why is this important

This change would significantly affect how often the legislature meets to pass budgets, respond to emergencies, and address constituent concerns. It has major implications for state governance efficiency, legislative responsiveness, and the balance between giving lawmakers time to implement laws versus allowing sufficient opportunity to address new issues.

Potential points of contention

  • Legislative responsiveness: Less frequent sessions could delay responses to budget crises, public emergencies, or urgent constituent needs that emerge between sessions
  • Governor's power: Biennial sessions may increase executive branch power during the two-year interim periods when the legislature isn't in session
  • Workload and staffing: Consolidating legislative work into fewer but potentially longer sessions could strain legislative staff and reduce time for bill review and public input
  • Special sessions: The amendment's language on calling special sessions could create bottlenecks if supermajority requirements are too restrictive

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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