Lawmakers are digging in for what are likely to be long sessions this week in Pierre.
The legislative deadline known as “Cross Over Day” is next Monday (Feb. 25)– meaning all bills and joint resolutions must leave the house of origin and ‘cross over’ to the opposite chamber. Bills need to clear committees in the house of origin by this Friday.
Dozens upon dozens of bills are still in committee, primarily on the House side, including an unusually high number of ‘placeholder’ bills tossed in. ‘Placeholders’ are bills with little more than a title holding a place in line should a lawmaker need to insert a bill after the deadline for new legislation has passed.
Several House committees have begun convening for evening sessions and Senators know the log jam of bills will arrive in their Chamber in a few days.
