What Are the Joint Recesses in the First Year of Session in the California Legislature?

The Joint Rules of the California State Senate and Assembly contain more than sixty provisions, including Joint Rule 51, which deals with the legislative calendar.

Subdivision (a) of Joint Rule 51 deals with the first, or odd-numbered, year of the Legislature’s 2-year legislative session. Joint Rule 51(a) requires the two houses of the Legislature to observe four recesses during the first year (i.e., the odd year) of the regular session. Those recesses are the following:

Organizational Recess—The Legislature shall meet on the first Monday in December following the general election to organize. Thereafter, each house shall be in recess from the time it determines until the first Monday in January, except when the first Monday is January 1 or January 1 is a Sunday, in which case, the following Wednesday.

Spring Recess—The Legislature shall be in recess from the 10th day prior to Easter until the Monday after Easter.

Summer Recess—The Legislature shall be in recess from mid-July until mid-August. This recess shall not commence until the Budget Bill is passed.

Interim Study Recess—The Legislature shall be in recess from mid-September until the first Monday in January, except when the first Monday is January 1 or January 1 is a Sunday, in which case, the following Wednesday.

The remainder of the legislative calendar for the California Legislature’s first year of session is forth in Joint Rule 61(a) related to legislative deadlines.