Senate completes bill filing for 2021 session
Mike Seals - January 22, 2021 10:32 am
The Senate has completed filing bills for the first session of the 58th Legislature. The deadline was Thursday, Jan. 21. A total of 1,035 Senate Bills and 26 Senate Joint Resolutions were filed. In 2019, the first session of the 57th Legislature, a total of 1,040 Senate Bills and 21 Senate Joint Resolutions were filed.
The Thursday deadline did not apply to appropriations bills, which can be filed throughout the session. In addition, Senate rules allow substantive bills to be introduced during the session after the filing deadline. For this to occur, the bill is assigned to a committee by the Majority Floor Leader and the entire committee becomes the published author of the bill upon committee approval. Such bills must be heard on the floor by March 11, the deadline for floor votes on legislation originating in the Senate.
Measures filed in the Senate but not heard by deadlines for committee or floor action can still be considered in the 2022 session. Senate rules also allow for bills by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate to be filed throughout the session, including legislation dealing with redistricting. Senate Resolutions and Senate Concurrent Resolutions can be filed throughout the session as well.
Members of the public can read and download current legislation by going to the official Senate website at www.oksenate.gov and following the link for legislation at the top of the homepage. The Senate website also includes daily agendas, meeting notices, calendars, and other helpful information.
The 2021 legislative session will convene on Monday, February 1. The Senate offers streaming audio and video with closed captioning from the Senate Chamber, as well as from all committee rooms. Wireless Internet access is available to all Capitol visitors throughout the Senate Gallery, rotunda, committee rooms, offices and press rooms.
You can also follow the Oklahoma State Senate @oksenate on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
For more information, contact: Senate Communications Division, 405-521-5774.
