The 2017 session will be kicking off right after the November 8th general election. Legislators will begin preparing bills to file on November 22nd when they are sworn in. House and Senate leadership announced the schedule for interim committee meetings. Both chambers will head to Tallahassee for committee meetings in December, before meeting for two weeks in January and three weeks in February.
According to memos to members, the Florida House will hold committee meetings from Dec. 5 through Dec. 9. The Florida Senate will be in Tallahassee from Dec. 12 through Dec. 16.
Members will be back in their districts until after the winter holidays, heading back to Tallahassee for committee meetings from Jan. 9 through Jan. 13. They’ll head back for another week of committee meetings from Jan. 23 through Jan. 27.
In February, members will be in Tallahassee for committee meetings during the weeks of Feb. 6, Feb. 13 and Feb. 20.
They’ll have one week back in their district before the annual 60-day legislative session begins on March 7.
Important Florida 2017 Legislative Session Dates
November 22, 2016-Organization Session (Art. III, §3(a), Fla. Const.)
Interim Committee Meetings for the 2017 Regular Session
Monday, December 5th - Friday, December 9th (House of Representatives)
Monday, December 12th - Friday, December, 16th (Senate)
Monday, January 9th - Friday, January 13th
Monday, January 23rd - Friday, January 27th
Monday, February 6th - Friday, February 10th
Monday, February 13th - Friday, February 17th
Monday, February 20th - Friday, February 24th
January 27, 2017 Friday, 5:00 p.m., deadline for submitting requests for drafts of general bills and joint resolutions, including requests for companion bills (Senate)
March 3, 2017 Friday, 5:00 p.m., deadline for approving final drafts of general bills and joint resolutions, including companion bills (Senate)
March 7, 2017 Regular Session convenes (Art. III, §3(b), Fla. Const.) 12:00 noon, deadline for filing bills for introduction (Senate Rule 3.7(1))
April 22, 2017 All bills are immediately certified (Senate Rule 6.8 and House Rule 11.7(i)). Motion to reconsider made and considered the same day (Senate Rule 6.4(4))
April 25, 2017 50th day - last day for regularly scheduled committee meetings (Senate Rule 2.9(2))
April 30, 2017 55th Day - no House bills on second reading may be taken up and considered by the House (House Rule 10.18)
May 3, 2017 58th Day – the House may consider only: (a) Returning messages, (b) Conference reports, and (c) Concurrent resolutions (House Rule 10.19)
May 5, 2017 60th day - last day of Regular Session (Art. III, §3(d), Fla. Const.)
