Good Question: Why did the Kentucky Legislature take a break after convening?

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - The Kentucky Legislature is currently in recess, but one viewer wanted to know why they are taking a break.

For today’s Good Question, Richard asks, the Kentucky legislature gaveled the session to order January 3rd but will not reconvene until February 7th. Why does the legislature take a break before reconvening?”

According to Mike Wynn with the Legislative Research Commission, a ballot measure in 2000 added sessions in odd-numbered years to the state constitution. Before that, lawmakers could meet in odd-numbered years in organizational sessions but couldn’t pass legislation.

The amendment in 2000 laid out the timeline for that session, limiting lawmakers to 30 days.

“The General Assembly shall convene for the first part of the session on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January in odd-numbered years for the purposes of electing legislative leaders, adopting rules of procedure, organizing committees, and introducing and considering legislation. The General Assembly shall then adjourn. The General Assembly shall convene for the second part of the session on the first Tuesday in February of that year. Any legislation introduced but not enacted in the first part of the session shall be carried over into the second part of the session.”

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