The session schedule for the 2023-2024 biennial session period.
Impact
By clearly delineating the expected schedule for both standard legislative business and budget-related actions, SJR1 ensures that all members of the legislature are aware of important deadlines and periods of activity. It provides structure to the operations of the legislature and helps maintain efficiency during the biennial session, particularly in terms of budget discussions and approvals. The extended budget deadline to February 15, 2023, may provide additional time for thorough consideration and adjustments to the budget proposals.
Summary
SJR1 establishes the session schedule for the 2023-2024 biennial session of the Wisconsin Legislature, declaring that this period commenced on January 3, 2023, and will end at noon on January 6, 2025. The resolution outlines specific dates designated for the inauguration of members, various floorperiods for legislative activities, and deadlines for the introduction and passage of the executive budget bill. This resolution is crucial as it sets the framework within which legislative business will occur over the biennium.
Contention
While SJR1 largely establishes procedural guidelines that may not produce major contention on its own, the implications of the schedule may affect party strategies and priorities for the biennium. Legislators may have differing views on the timing of legislative debates and the introduction of specific bills, especially those relating to fiscal policy. Ensuring that the legislative calendar adequately allows for both extensive debate and urgent action could lead to underlying tensions among different factions within the legislature as they navigate the biennial session objectives.