Upon adjournment, the 2020 Legislative Session will come to a close at 11:59 p.m. on August 31st. After the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused an early two-month legislative recess in late March, April and early May and the resulting public health guidelines along with positive COVID-19 tests in the State Capitol in the final days of the Session, the 2020 Legislative Session has earned the reputation as the strangest in recent memory.
Since returning from Summer Recess, the Legislature focused largely on bills related to COVID-19. They heard and took action on an assortment of bills including budget trailer bills, housing, criminal justice, worker protections and health and safety. The Governor has until September 30, 2020 to act on bills that have reached his desk. Outside of urgency clause bills that go into effect immediately upon their enactment, all other bills enacted take effect January 1, 2021.
RCRC staff will continue to monitor outstanding bills during the final hours/days of the 2020 Legislative Session. The RCRC Board of Directors will receive a full update on the status of key bills at the September RCRC Board of Directors meeting. Unless a Special Session is called within 72-hours of Tuesday’s adjournment, the Legislature will reconvene in early December to kick-off the 2021 Legislative Session. What reconvening will look like in 2021, remains to be seen.
For more information regarding state legislative activities, please contact the RCRC Governmental Affairs staff at (916) 447-4806.