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Washington State Legislative Sessions


The legislative cycle is two years long. Within that two-year cycle, there are two kinds of legislative sessions: Regular sessions and extraordinary, or special, sessions. Regular sessions are mandated by the State Constitution and begin the second Monday in January each year. In the odd-numbered year, for example, 2005, the Regular session is 105 days; in the even-numbered year, for example, 2006, it is 60 days. Extraordinary sessions are called by the Governor to address specific issues, usually the budget. There can be any number of extraordinary sessions within the two-year cycle, and they can last no more than 30 days.

1st Regular Session: 1889
1st Extraordinary Session: 1890
2nd Regular Session: 1891
3rd Regular Session: 1893
4th Regular Session: 1895
5th Regular Session: 1897
6th Regular Session: 1899
7th Regular Session: 1901
7th Extraordinary Session: 1901
8th Regular: 1903
9th Regular: 1905
10th Regular: 1907
11th Regular: 1909
11th Extraordinary Session: 1909
12th Regular: 1911
13th Regular: 1913
14th Regular: 1915
15th Regular: 1917
16th Regular: 1919
16th Extraordinary Session: 1920
17th Regular: 1921
18th Regular: 1923
19th Regular: 1925
19th Extraordinary Session: 1925
20th Regular: 1927
21st Regular: 1929
22nd Regular: 1931
23rd Regular: 1933
23rd Extraordinary Session: 1933
24th Regular: 1935
25th Regular: 1937
26th Regular: 1939
27th Regular: 1941
28th Regular: 1943
28th Extraordinary Session: 1944
29th Regular Session: 1945
30th Regular: 1947
31st Regular: 1949
31st Extraordinary Session: 1950
32nd Regular: 1951
32nd 2nd Extraordinary Session: 1951
32nd Extraordinary Session: 1951
33rd Regular: 1953
33rd Extraordinary Session: 1953
34th Regular: 1955
34th Extraordinary Session: 1955
35th Regular: 1957
36th Regular: 1959
36th Extraordinary Session: 1959
37th Regular: 1961
37th Extraordinary Session: 1961
38th Regular: 1963
38th Extraordinary Session: 1963
39th Regular: 1965
39th Extraordinary Session: 1965
40th Regular: 1967
40th Extraordinary Session: 1967
41st Regular: 1969
41st Extraordinary Session: 1969
41st 2nd Extraordinary Session: 1970
42nd Regular: 1971
42nd Extraordinary Session: 1971
42nd 2nd Extraordinary Session: 1972
43rd Regular: 1973
43rd Extraordinary Session: 1973
43rd 2nd Extraordinary Session: 1973
43rd 3rd Extraordinary Session: 1974
* 43rd Reconvened: 1974
44th Regular: 1975
44th Extraordinary Session: 1975
44th 2nd Extraordinary Session: 1975
* 44th Reconvened: 1975
* 44th ReconvenedB: 1975
* 44th ReconvenedC: 1976
45th Regular: 1977
45th Extraordinary Session: 1977
46th Regular Session: 1979
46th Extraordinary Session: 1979
* 46th Reconvened: 1979
* 46th ReconvenedB: 1979
* 46th ReconvenedC: 1979
* 46th ReconvenedD: 1979
* 46th ReconvenedE: 1979
* 46th ReconvenedF: 1979
** 46th Regular: 1980
47th Regular: 1981
47th Extraordinary Session: 1981
47th 2nd Extraordinary Session: 1981
47th Regular Session: 1982
47th Extraordinary Session: 1982
47th 2nd Extraordinary Session: 1982
48th Regular: 1983
48th Extraordinary Session: 1983
48th 2nd Extraordinary Session: 1983
48th 3rd Extraordinary Session: 1983
48th Regular: 1984
49th Regular: 1985
49th Extraordinary Session: 1985
49th Regular: 1986
49th Extraordinary Session: 1986
50th Regular Session: 1987
50th Extraordinary Session: 1987
50th 2nd Extraordinary Session: 1987
50th 3rd Extraordinary Session: 1987
50th Regular Session: 1988
50th Extraordinary Session: 1988
51st Regular: 1989
51st Extraordinary Session: 1989
51st 2nd Extraordinary Session: 1989
51st Regular: 1990
51st Extraordinary Session: 1990
51st 2nd Extraordinary Session: 1990
52nd Regular: 1991
52nd Extraordinary Session: 1991
52nd Regular: 1992
53rd Regular: 1993
53rd Extraordinary Session: 1993
53rd Regular Session: 1994
53rd Extraordinary Session: 1994
54th Regular Session: 1995
54th Extraordinary Session: 1995
54th 2nd Extraordinary Session: 1995
54th 3rd Extraordinary Session: 1995
54th Regular: 1996
55th Regular: 1997
55th Extraordinary Session: 1997
55th Regular: 1998
56th Regular: 1999
56th Extraordinary Session: 1999
56th Regular Session: 2000
56th Extraordinary Session: 2000
56th 2nd Extraordinary Session: 2000
57th Regular Session: 2001
57th Extraordinary Session: 2001
57th 2nd Extraordinary Session: 2001
57th 3rd Extraordinary Session: 2001
57th Regular: 2002
58th Regular: 2003
58th Extraordinary Session: 2003
58th 2nd Extraordinary Session: 2003
58th 3rd Extraordinary Session: 2003
58th Regular Session: 2004
59th Regular Session: 2005
59th Regular Session: 2006
60th Regular Session: 2007
60th 1st Special Election: 2007
60th Regular Session: 2008
61st Regular Session: 2009
61st Regular Session: 2010
61st 1st Special Session: 2010
61st 2nd Special Session: 2010
62nd Regular Session: 2011
62nd 1st Special Session: 2011
62nd 2nd Special Session: 2011
62nd Regular Session: 2012
62nd 1st Special Session: 2012
62nd 2nd Special Session: 2012

* Represents a special Reconvened date called by the Governor
** Annual Sessions were established pursuant to SHB 1126; 105 days in oddnumber years; 60 in even number years.

  • The listing of Governor appointments start in 1979.
  • Initiatives noted are to the Legislature.
  • Partially vetoed, or amendend bills are added together with vetoed bills prior to1980.