The 2025 General Assembly convened under unusual circumstances yesterday, amid widespread water outages in the City of Richmond resulting from failures at the City’s water treatment plant during a snowstorm earlier in the week. In order to minimize time spent by legislators, staff, and the public in buildings without running water, the legislature convened on January 8 to meet its Constitutional obligation, completed its organizational business, including adopting a schedule for the remainder of the session, and then adjourned until Monday, January 13.
Key dates for the 2025 session, as approved by the General Assembly in its procedural resolution, are as follows:
- Wednesday, January 8: General Assembly convenes. Last day to introduce legislation creating or continuing a study, or legislation regarding the Virginia Retirement System
- Friday, January 10: Deadline for Senate budget amendments
- Monday, January 13: Governor’s State of the Commonwealth Address; last day to pre-file legislation (by 10:00 a.m.); deadline to submit House budget amendments
- Friday, January 17: Last day to file bills, except for bills offered by unanimous consent or bills submitted on behalf of the Governor
- Sunday, February 2: “Budget Sunday” deadline for House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees to report their respective budgets by midnight
- Tuesday, February 4: “Crossover” deadline for each chamber to complete work on legislation originating in that chamber (except the budget bill)
- Thursday, February 6: Deadline for each chamber to complete work on its budget bill
- Wednesday, February 12: Deadline for each chamber to complete consideration of the other chamber’s budget bill and revenue bills
- Monday, February 17: Deadline for committee action on legislation by midnight
- Saturday, February 22: Scheduled adjournment sine die
- Wednesday, April 2: Reconvened session for consideration of Governor’s amendments and vetoes
VACo Contact: Katie Boyle