Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Nov. 20 marks the ceremonial start of the 2019 legislative session, which is commonly referred to as Organization Day.
Organization Day is made up of the swearing in of new and returning General Assembly members as well as the annual first roll call of all state lawmakers. It also allows caucuses from the Senate and the House of Representatives to organize in preparation for the upcoming session.
This year four new senators join the Indiana Senate Republicans Caucus, including Sens. Justin Busch (R-Fort Wayne), Chris Garten (R-Charlestown), Mike Gaskill (R-Pendleton) and Linda Rogers (R-Granger). The four were sworn into office by Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush.
The General Assembly alternates between “short” and “long” sessions. Even-numbered years are “short” sessions, while odd-numbered years are “long” sessions.
The 2019 session is a long session, as lawmakers will craft a comprehensive plan to fund government services for the next two years. By law, the 2019 legislative session must be completed by April 29.
The Indiana General Assembly is set up as a part-time, citizen legislature, which means lawmakers meet for only a portion of the year so everyday citizens can serve as representatives or senators and still live and work in the communities they serve.
To stay updated on what’s going on at the Statehouse, visit iga.in.gov. On this website, you can stream committee hearings and session meetings as well as view event calendars, vote tallies, meeting agendas and proposed legislation.
To receive regular email updates on issues being discussed at the Statehouse, visit your state senator’s webpage to sign up.
